A CONVICTED drug dealer has appeared in the witness box to deny attacking a man with a machete, telling the jury the victim was 'a good kid' and he held no animosity towards him.

Usman Multani was today cross-examined at Worcester Crown Court over the alleged attempted murder of Owais Saleem in Wyld's Lane, Worcester.

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Multani, 27, of Westminster Road, Ronkswood, his younger brother 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.

Mr Saleem suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain following the attack at around 1am in Wyld's Lane, Worcester on Sunday, November 24, 2019.

Multani maintained he was attacked in his A-Class Mercedes hire car the day before the assault on Mr Saleem. Multani said any injuries caused by him as he drove the car were 'accidental'.

We have previously heard how a man had his foot run over and his knee was hit by Multani's hire car as the defendant drove along Midland Road and Wyld's Lane.

Court orders prevent the Worcester News naming these prosecution witnesses.

"It (the car) had a machete mark on the front of the bonnet," said Multani. He said he had later parked it on what he called 'a private road' outside the Swan pub in Whittington as he did not want to leave it outside his house.

He accepted he had snapped then binned his SIM card and put a new one in his handset after he says his hire car was attacked.

Multani said he did this because he wanted 'nothing to do' with certain people. He said he did not want to be contacted, he said, and that even if he blocked people they could still contact him on another number.

"You are a convicted heroin dealer aren't you? You went to prison on 2015" said Peter Glenser QC, prosecuting.

"I made a terrible mistake in my life, yes" said Multani.

Mr Glenser went on to describe how Mutani was jailed for 28 months in October 2015 for possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.

However, Multani said he did not know about a third conviction for resisting or obstructing an officer in April 2018.

Mr Glenser also referred to Multani being stopped as a passenger in a car in 2018. Police found a balaclava, woolly hats, a baseball bat and a wheel brace a few days after threats of violence had been made.

Multani said his fingerprints or DNA were not found on those items as 'I have never seen them before'.

Multani said the balaclava was Luke Bridger's which he used for go-carting.

Mr Glenser said Multani had activated another mobile telephone on November 24, 2019. "It's the day you put a machete or bat through the skull of Owais Saleem" said Mr Glenser.

"I did not" said Multani.

"Do you not remember that?" said Mr Glenser.

Multani replied: "I did not have no weapon. I did not hurt anyone."

The defendant was asked if he felt 'disrespected' by Snapchat messages which called him 'a snitch' following a separate, earlier attack on the home of Luke Bridger.

"Not disrespected. I just felt 'why am I being dragged into all this?'" said Multani. He said he did not know why the Bridger home was being targeted.

He later added: "I have never seen Owais Saleem in my life before. He has not got in trouble with me. Owais Saleem is a good kid. I have no animosity towards Owais Saleem - never have."

Multani said if he saw who had attacked Mr Saleem he would 'certainly say'.

The trial continues.