Bradford ‘Family Feud’ Revenge Attack leads to £8k Damage

Farooq Hussain, aged 28, and Sohail Khan, aged 23, both of Bradford, were given suspended sentences after causing over £8,000 damage in revenge attack as a result of a family feud.

Both were sent to Bradford Crown Court for sentence by Bradford and Keighley magistrates after pleading guilty to criminal damage.

They were part of a hammer-wielding gang in balaclavas who damaged a house and four vehicles.

The gang terrified the homeowner and her daughter when they smashed two windows at the address in Highfield Gardens, Bradford.

In addition, they damaged a Mercedes, a Range Rover and two Mitsubishi Shoguns. The incident happened at approximately 5 pm on May 18, 2018.

Prosecutor Jo Shepherd said the woman was at home with her teenage daughter when a blue Mitsubishi Shogun drove at speed onto the lawn.

A gang armed with hammers got out and smashed the kitchen and living room windows. They drove into the parked vehicles and broke their windows.

As the Telegraph and Argus reported, Hussain ran from the scene holding his ribs after he was crushed between the gang’s vehicle and the Mercedes it was ramming.

Khan took Hussain to Airedale Hospital where he spent a week being treated for five broken bones in his back and a leg injury.

He claimed he had fallen off a quad bike and refused to discuss the matter with police.

Police officers found a claw hammer and a balaclava in Khan’s car and Hussain had glass fragments from the Mercedes in his clothing.

Both defendants gave “no comment” interviews to the police.

Miss Shepherd said that £6,000 damage was done to the Mercedes, £800 to one Shogun, £700 each to the Range Rover and second Shogun and £400 to the house.

Hussain’s barrister Mohammed Rafiq admitted it was “an unsavoury matter.”

His client was sucked into it by misguided loyalty and broke a couple of windows before being seriously injured and leaving the area.

Mr Rafiq said: “He very much regrets having got himself involved in it at all.”

Hussain was unaware of what he was getting involved in and had stayed out of trouble since the incident.

Mr Rafiq said his client had no convictions for violence and was married with children.

Andrew Walker, defending Khan, said he foolishly tagged along when feelings were running high. He told the court that the feud might be about “someone’s sister being slighted.”

Khan had kept his distance and did not wear a balaclava.

Mr Walker said:

“He stayed basically in the background but he is guilty by virtue of joint enterprise on the day.”

Khan also had no violence-related offences against him and his partner was expecting their child.

Judge David Hatton said the incident was “a revenge attack in an ongoing, volatile feud.”

He said both defendants “tagged along” to what must have been a terrifying incident for the woman and her daughter.

Judge Hatton said: “Public displays of violence cannot be tolerated.”

Khan and Hussain were each sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Hussain must complete a four-month curfew order and Khan must undertake 180 hours of unpaid work.