A 'GANGSTER' accused of attempted murder was acting as 'a peacemaker' when his rental car came under attack with weapons by an 'armed' group seeking to get a 'snitch' inside, a court heard.
Usman Multani, who is accused of attempted murder, was behind the wheel of a Mercedes A-Class in Wyld's Lane, Worcester when his advocate claims the car was surrounded and set upon by a group carrying weapons, including machetes, bricks and baseball bats.
SCENE: The attack on Owais Saleem happened in Wyld's Lane.
The defence case is that the group were trying to get to Luke Bridger who they believed was in the back of the car and who had been branded a 'snitch' on Snapchat. However, the prosecution argue that it was Multani who made threats because he believed people in the area had 'beef with my boy, Bridger'.
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The advocate for Usman Multani put it to a prosecution witness, who cannot be identified due to a court order, that his client was acting as a 'peacemaker' and a 'mediator' the day before the alleged attempted murder itself.
Michael Newport, for Usman Multani, showed Snapchat messages in which his client was insulted and compared to 'poo' and Luke Bridger was branded a 'snitch'.
DENIALS: Usman Multani
Usman Multani, 27, of Westminster Road, Ronkswood, Kaasim Multani, 23, also of Westminster Road and Shahenul Alam, 32, of Ivor Road, Sparkhill, deny attempted murder, violent disorder and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.
We have previously reported how Owais Saleem suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain following the attack at around 1am in Wyld's Lane, Worcester on November 24, 2019.
DENIALS: Kaasmim Multani
The witness, who gave evidence behind a screen, was cross-examined by Usman Multani's barrister, Mr Newport at Worcester Crown Court on Monday.
The same witness had previously said Usman Multani shouted that he was 'Worcester's gangster' and had made threats to rape female members of his family.
He was asked if he was aware that the home of Luke Bridger in Carlisle Road, Ronkswood, had come under attack. He answered 'no'.
"That their windows had been smashed?" asked Mr Newport.
"No" replied the witness. When asked, the witness denied that he knew that someone had 'tried to kidnap Jason Bridger', previously described as the uncle of Luke Bridger.
"Did you know that some of the men who hang around the Horizon Community Centre were associated with that?" asked the barrister.
"Yes" the witness replied. However, he said at the time he had not known about the attack on the Bridger house.
A Snapchat message which Mr Newport said was sent from the witness to Usman Multani was also shown which referred to the Bridger family in offensive terms.
One message contained the phrase 'snitches get stitches' with a picture of a knife. It also showed an excrement emoji. Initially, the witness said he could not remember if he sent the messages but later added: "I don't believe that was me."
Mr Newport said Usman Multani contacted the witness and drove to Wyld's Lane where his A-Class Mercedes came under attack (the day before the attack on Owais Saleem).
"You knew that car came under attack, didn't you?" said Mr Newport.
"Not that I can remember" the witness replied.
Mr Newport put it to the witness that 'people attacked the car with machetes, with baseball bats and with bricks'.
The witness replied: "That isn't true."
Photos of the damaged rental Mercedes were shown to the witness on a screen in court. The images captured the broken back window and damaged paintwork around the back passenger door. Mr Newport said the car had been damaged on Wyld's Lane.
The witness told the jury it was not correct the car had been attacked. "That's the side where you believed Luke Bridger was sitting" said Mr Newport.
"Yes" the witness replied. But he denied that anyone had tried to attack Mr Bridger or that the car was 'surrounded and attacked'.
Mr Newport said of Usman Multani he had driven to the area 'because he was trying to act as a mediator, a peacemaker'.
"That's not correct" said the witness. The witness told the jury: "No-one attacked the car." The trial continues.
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