Sikh man 'was beaten up by gang in street'

A Sikh man told a jury he was beaten up by a group of Muslim-looking men who knocked off his turban and pulled off his necklace and religious pendant.

The 25-year-old alleged victim suffered a cut head and other injuries after being hit to the ground and struck with a weapon, possibly a spanner, it was claimed.

He said he was at home with his mother, in Evington Valley Road, Leicester, at 1.40 pm when he heard banging on his door and shouting.

He looked out to see five or six Asian males, of Muslim appearance and dress, whom he did not know.

A black Audi was also outside.

The man said he felt "scared," and left through the back door, getting into his car at the rear and drove off.

He said at the Evington Valley Road traffic light junction with Ethel Road a man banged on his car bonnet and shouted at him to stop.

He said he also realised the men from outside his home were pursuing him in the Audi and carried on.

The alleged victim told Leicester Crown Court he pulled into the forecourt of a nearby tyre factory hoping to get help.

The Audi blocked him in and as soon as he got out of his car, he was attacked by several men, including one with a "rod or spanner."

The complainant said: "I fell on the ground and felt someone pulling my chain, which had a religious pendant on.

"They were hitting me."

He said he got up and pushed one of them, but ended up back on the ground being hit.

He added: "I don't know who was hitting me on my head with the spanner.

"I can't remember how many times I was hit.

"Someone was twisting my (gold) bangle but it didn't come off.

"While they were hitting me, it (his turban) was knocked off.

"They were saying something like 'killing you' and swearing."

The prosecution allege that one of the assailants was Moshin Khan (20), of Evington Drive, Leicester.

Khan denies jointly causing actual bodily harm or damaging a gold necklace belonging to the alleged victim on Friday, April 23, last year.

He claims that it is a case of mistaken identity and the complainant had wrongly picked him in a police video identification procedure.

The prosecution say the black Audi's registration number was linked to the defendant's address.

Giving evidence, the complainant said he was "sure" he correctly identified Khan as one of the group.

He alleged that after he managed to stand up, the defendant came towards him (unarmed) and tried to hit him.

He told the jury: "I tried to hit him back.

"Then he hit me back and I went back onto the ground."

The court heard the necklace and religious pendant were later found and returned to the complainant.

Mark Achurch, prosecuting, said one of the witnesses claimed he heard members of the group shouting "Allah, Allah" during the alleged attack.

The complainant's injuries included a swollen right eye, a cut to the back of his head and tenderness to his arms and body.

The trial continues.