A MAN on trial for the murder of Kian Tordoff revealed he saw two knives in the back of a BMW heading to Bradford but “didn’t speak”.
Six men are on trial for the murder of the 19-year-old and the attempted murder of Matthew Page – known as Matthew Lowther – in the early hours of October 10 last year on John Street, at Bradford Crown Court.
One of those is Amaad Shakiel, 20, of Leaventhorpe Lane, who gave his evidence on Thursday.
He denies murder, attempted murder and a third count relating to Mr Lowther of wounding with intent.
The 20-year-old was present at both the large-scale street brawl in Westgate, at around 5.15am, and also when a white BMW X5 containing the six men stopped at Rawson Square and the stabbings occurred, half-an-hour later.
But Mr Shakiel denies being involved with the fight and stayed in the car when others got out later.
He said: “I don't get involved in violence, I'm not a violent person.”
Mr Shakiel admits he was heavily intoxicated having drunk a few shots of vodka, done around 12 balloons containing “laughing gas” and four drags of cannabis prior to both incidents.
He said this made him feel light-headed, gave him a headache and that he was in his own little world.
This was the case on the journey back to Bradford city centre in the BMW.
Arbaz Khan, 22, of Yew Tree Avenue in the Daisy Hill area and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named due to his age, admit to taking knives to the scene, with the former admitting to placing a machete in the footwell of the rear-left passenger seat.
Both deny all three charges but the teenager pleaded guilty to an alternative of manslaughter of Mr Tordoff on diminished responsibility on account of his mental health and unlawful wounding of Mr Lowther.
Mr Khan said he did not tell anyone about this but Mr Shakiel – who was sat in the rear-right passenger seat – revealed he looked to his left and saw two knives.
This was as the vehicle got into the city centre and a few minutes before the group picked up Mr Khan’s mobile phone – which he dropped during the fight – from Reanna Dacres, he told the court.
Mr Shakiel said he thought they were going to pick the device up.
He added: “I didn't speak, I didn't ask, I was just scared, at the same time my head was all over, I was just frightened, I didn't speak.”
Moments later, Mr Tordoff was stabbed to death.
The other three defendants in the trial are: Aizaz Khan, 27, of Yew Tree Avenue, Adam Qayum, 23, of Avenel Road, Allerton and Mohammed Adil Hussain, 18, of Kite Mews, Lower Grange.
All the men deny all three charges.
The trial continues.
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