A SIMMERING dispute between two men exploded into violence when one of them wielded an axe. 

Bradford Crown Court heard how there was “bad blood” between Ionut Rad and Mohammed Zaheer, who had been next-door neighbours for six years at the time of the incident on May 13 last year, due to Zaheer’s playing of loud music.

Zaheer has now been jailed for a total of 19 months for his part in the incident as well as an offence of dangerous driving committed earlier this year.

Prosecutor Joel Wootten said Zaheer was again playing loud music and CCTV showed Rad walking “at pace” toward Zaheer’s home and entering uninvited.

What was described as “a tussle” took place inside with Rad pushing Zaheer. He left two minutes later and was seen going back to his home.

Mr Wootten said: “Moments later Mr Zaheer can be seen chasing after Mr Rad wielding an axe. Mr Rad runs back into the street and can be seen engaging with Mr Zaheer. Mr Zaheer then takes a swing at Mr Rad with the axe before the two men are seen to tussle.”

Brief CCTV footage of the incident was played to the court.

The police arrived and both men were arrested. Rad was found to have “superficial” injuries to a finger and to the side of his chest.

Videos on Rad’s mobile phone filmed shortly after the altercation with the axe showed Zaheer on his doorstep having retreated from the street. The axe was nowhere to be seen though he was holding a knife. He exchanged verbal abuse with Rad and pulled down his trousers to expose his bottom.

Rad was making “numerous threats” towards Zaheer including threatening to kill him.
 

The case was heard at Bradford Crown Court

Interviewed the following day Rad said he had been putting his children to bed following a barbeque with family and friends but due to the music from next door, the children would not settle.

He banged on the wall, saying he had had “conflict” for a while, and then went next door in his bare feet where an altercation took place. He left the house when asked to do so by Zaheer’s wife, and apologised.

He then said Zaheer grabbed a weapon and used it to stab him in the chest and finger but struggled to remember more due to being intoxicated.

In his interview, Zaheer said he was not guilty of anything as his neighbour had gone into his house, attacked him, and made threats to kill. His actions were in self-defence.

Both men later pleaded guilty: Zaheer to affray, and Rad to common assault.

Rad, 42, of Marne Crescent, Bradford, had no previous convictions. Zaheer, 47, of Falkland Road, Bradford, had previous convictions for possession of an offensive weapon and assault.

The court heard that Zaheer had also pleaded guilty to unrelated charges of dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving with no insurance, and failing to provide a specimen on February 2 this year in Huddersfield.

The court heard mitigation for Zaheer that he had “entrenched issues” relating to drinking and that he “let himself down” when he was caught driving dangerously.

Miss Recorder Kama Melly KC sentenced Zaheer to a total of 19 months in prison for dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, affray, and for breaching an existing suspended sentence order.

She described his lengthy list of driving offences as “appalling”, his response to court orders as “poor”, and that he represented a high risk of re-offending.

She said it was “fortuitous” that no one had been seriously injured when Zaheer was “flailing the axe around” outside his home.

She also banned Zaheer from driving for three years and nine months, ordered his licence to be endorsed, and said he must take an extended retest before getting behind the wheel again.

Miss Recorder Melly handed Rad a 12-month conditional discharge.