Sunderland man hit neighbour with machete during terrifying confrontation

Syed Ahmed smashed up the victim's car and the windows at his home then turned up at the door with the two-foot long weapon in the early hours of the morning.

The attack caused terror to the victim's wife and young children, who had been asleep inside.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim and his adult son chased after Ahmed and there was scuffle in the street.

At some point during the trouble Ahmed hit the victim's arm and stomach with the machete, causing cuts.

Prosecutor Emma Dowling told the court the victim told police he "didn't really know" Ahmed before that night.

Ahmed, who damaged another car in the street during the confrontation, claimed he had known the victim since he was a child and the family had "bullied" him in the past so he wanted to give them a "fright".

Ahmed, 25, of Peel Street, Sunderland, who has a criminal record, admitted affray, assault, threatening another with an offensive weapon and three offences of criminal damage.

The court heard Ahmed caused £1,650 damage to the victim's car and £2,934 to his home.

Miss Dowling said it was Ahmed who "came looking for trouble" that night and added: "The complainant said Mr Ahmed was shouting abuse, making threats to the family, threats to their home and would say he had no idea why he was acting like this."

The victim said in a statement: "If my son hadn't come to help me I am scared to think what could have happened.

"All of my children were crying and frightened.

"I feel lucky to have escaped with the injuries I have.

"My wife and children are scared of this happening again and the defendant coming back here in future and carrying out any of the threats he made."

Judge Robert Adams sentenced Ahmed to 20 months behind bars with a restraining order to keep him away from the family.

The judge said: "You say there was a background of bullying and things just boiled over on this day.

"The complainant would say he hardly knew you.

"I don't know which is right but whatever the background was, it didn't justify your behaviour on that day.

"You allege the complainant and his family had bullied you, you had known them since you were a small boy, you had been drinking at a friend's house before the incident, brooding over the situation and you decided, in your words, to give them a fright. You certainly did that."

Vic Laffey, defending, said Ahmed had been ridiculed in the past and added: "He's very ashamed that that was what he did, ended up drunk in the streetwith this machete."