Murder accused bought 'Call of Duty' style knife to protect himself from 'being hunted', court hears
Abbas Hussain denies murder and is on trial at Manchester Crown Court
An alleged murderer has told a court he bought a 'Call of Duty' style hunting knife to protect himself from 'being hunted'. Abbas Hussain, 19, is accused of murdering Mohammed Isa Afzal during an incident in August last year.
Also charged with murder are Mohammed Rayhan, 19; and Biryan Ak, 20. They all deny murder and are on trial at Manchester Crown Court.
Mr Afzal, 19, was stabbed in the car park of the Power League five-a-side football complex in Market Street, Bury on August 1 last year.
The court previously heard that Mr Afzal had been out driving that evening with two friends, having planned to buy food in Ramsbottom. Mr Afzal told his friends he had driven past a car containing someone he had an ‘issue’ with, prosecutors previously said.
He turned around the Jaguar he was driving and began following the car, the court was told. Jurors heard Mr Afzal told his friends he ‘wanted to smash up the guy’s car’.
The other car was a Vauxhall Corsa being driven by Mr Hussain, who later told police he was planning on playing football at Power League that evening, it was said. The Corsa arrived at Power League at 8.47pm and the Jaguar arrived shortly after, the court heard.
Mr Afzal got out of the car holding a ‘large bat’, prosecutors said. He moved to the Corsa and opened the front door, the court heard.
Prosecutors alleged Mr Hussain was armed with a knife when he got out of the Corsa and that he ‘immediately’ struck at Mr Afzal, hitting his jacket.
Mr Afzal ran away, with Mr Hussain and Mr Rayhan chasing him, jurors were told. He dropped the bat, which was picked up by Mr Rayhan, Mr Hamilton said.
Mr Afzal ran towards the exit before turning around and heading back towards the cars, the court heard. Prosecutors alleged Mr Hussain looked over to Mr Ak and pointed at Mr Afzal. Mr Ak was then said to have moved his arm to ‘clothes line’ Mr Afzal.
The pair collided and both fell to the floor, the jury was told. Prosecutors alleged Mr Hussain attacked Mr Afzal with the knife, described by a witness as being a ‘zombie style knife’, and Mr Rayhan with the bat as he lay on the ground.
Mr Afzal was able to run away before being driven away in the Jaguar. He was pronounced dead at the side of the road at 9.49pm.
He had suffered eight ‘sharp force injuries’ to his torso and upper limbs, a post-mortem examination later found. Two wounds caused damage to his ribs which would have required ‘severe’ force, a pathologist said.
Giving evidence, Mr Hussain spoke of a number of 'incidents', in which he claimed Mr Afzal had been 'violent against him, members of his family and his friends'. He also alleged that Mr Afzal had come round to his family home 'with a group of lads wearing face masks and carrying weapons'.
Mr Hussain said in the week before the incident last year, a similar incident had taken place at a friend's house, making him believe he was 'being hunted'. "I felt very scared and intimidated, I was scared of Isa," he said.
He said his friend's address was also 'smashed' by a group wielding weapons, including Mr Afzal, he alleged, whilst his friend's family were upstairs.
"They were terrified, shocked, scared, confused. I was terrified, really scared and intimidated by him," Mr Hussain said of Mr Afzal. "He was trying to send a message and to intimidate me. I started carrying a knife after that."
Asked why he began carrying a knife by his barrister, Gurdeep Garcha KC, he said: "I believed my life was in danger and I needed to protect myself. I intended to use it to protect and defend myself if I got attacked.
"I was hoping if I took it out, hopefully the presence of it would scare them off. It was a hunting style Call of Duty-type knife."
Mr Hussain claimed more of his friends were 'assaulted by Mr Afzal', stating he believed he was 'trying to find his whereabouts' after moving out of the area.
"He was trying to get to me, he was hunting me to find where I was." He added: "I was extremely terrified, if this is what he was doing to my friends, what would he do to me if he found me."
On the day of the incident, he had finished work and travelled to the Power League football complex to play a seven-a-side game with some friends, he told jurors. After arriving in the car park, he said a car parked behind him before he saw a man in the sideview mirror walking to the driver's door of his car.
"I wasn't sure who it was, but I had an idea," he said. "They had a face covering on, but I thought it was Isa. I was terrified. I was frozen, panicking, I didn't know what to do."
He said Mr Afzal opened the door, and said he saw a 'black object' in his hand. Prosecutors previously said Mr Afzal was carrying a baseball bat.
"I thought I would be seriously injured or killed," Mr Hussain said. "I got out, I felt trapped, I felt like a sitting duck. I didn't have the option to sit there. I thought if I just sit there, I would get beaten to death.
"I got out of the car and I grabbed the knife from the door pocket. I picked up the knife to defend myself. I intended to defend myself and scare him away."
Mr Hussain accepted stabbing Mr Afzal during the incident. Asked how he felt about the fact Mr Afzal had died as a result of his injuries, he said: "I’m devastated about what happened. It was never my intention. I’m so sorry. I just wish I never went to football that day.”
Mr Hussain, of Windsor Crescent, Prestwich; Mr Rayhan, of Chauncy Road, Moston; and Mr Ak, of Norman Grove, Longsight, all deny murder. Mr Hussain and Mr Rayhan also deny possession of an offensive weapon.
Proceeding.