AN angry businessman threatened to kill a rival outside a Worcester mosque, punching him while holding keys before raining down kicks and knees as the man lay on the ground.

Hemn Ahmed was living in Northfield Street in Worcester when he attacked Twarna Babarasull outside a city mosque, leaving a gash on the victim's face. The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday following the attack on October 9 last year.

Shafquat Reaz, prosecuting, did not give the location of the mosque near where the attack happened in his opening and declined to give any details when asked at the end of the hearing. He said: "The defendant has approached Mr Babarasull outside a mosque and has asked him about their business troubles. It's here both have become aggressive. There was a heated argument and punches have been thrown. He has assaulted Mr Babarasull by punching him with a set of keys in his hand. This has resulted in Mr Babarasull being knocked to the ground. The defendant has continued to punch, kick and knee the complainant while he was on the floor. Certain expletives have also been used outside a mosque, a place of worship."

The men were separated. Mr Babarasull suffered a 2cm cut to the side of his face. Ahmed, who communicated through a Kurdish Sorani interpreter, had no previous convictions. He has now moved to Pleasant Terrace, Holbeck, Leeds with his wife to start a fledgling laundrette business.

Julia Powell, defending, explained that the dispute was over a business venture which resulted in 'Mr Babarasull getting the business'. The partnership was dissolved last September last year and within the agreement was a non-competition clause for 10 years. "It wasn't planned. It was a one-off incident" said Miss Powell.

Her client had 'got the upper hand' in the argument but was himself injured, suffering a dislocated finger. David Shadwell, the chairman of the bench, said: "You punched the injured party 10 times and threatened to kill him. You continued with this assault while he was on the floor."

Magistrates sentenced him to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered him to pay £300 compensation to the victim. No order was made for costs and no victim surcharge was imposed. Mr Shadwell told Ali that the compensation was now his 'most important priority'.