A FATHER who went to see why his son had been attacked was left with a fractured skull, a court heard.

Ashraf Dawood, 42, was floored in a four-on-one attack in Countess Street, Accrington, jurors at Preston Crown Court were told.

And when his son Qadir careered around the corner in his Seat Leon car, crashing in the process, he was also set upon, a trial has heard.

Jeremy Grout-Smith, prosecuting, said the incident, on April 26 last year, began when the younger Mr Dawood was returning home from the shops and saw police cars in Countess Street.

One house had a smashed window and a car had apparently been set on fire, as he pulled up, the court heard.

Iblal Iqbal, who he knew, got into the car and after accusing him of being a “snitch” he punched him in the face, said Mr Grout-Smith.

Mr Dawood told his father what had happened then he went round to speak with Iqbal, the court was told.

Mr Grout-Smith said Ashraf Dawood was shaking hands with Iqbal and other men at the scene when he saw them smirking.

Fearing he was about to be attacked, the jury heard, the father punched Iqbal in the face and tried to run off.

But Mr Grout-Smith said he was knocked to the ground and attacked with bats, leaving him with a fractured skull.

His son arrived on the scene minutes later and crashed his car into a nearby garage, after losing control of the vehicle, the court heard.

While trapped by his airbag, Qadir Dawood suffered a scalp wound and a broken finger in a second attack, jurors were told.

Iqbal, 32, of Hyndburn Street, Accrington, accepts attacking Ashraf Dawood but denies causing him grievous bodily harm.

Abubakir Iqbal, 29, of Countess Street, denies causing grievous bodily harm to Ashraf and Qadir Dawood and possession of an offensive weapon.

Ghulam Ghous, 28, of Persia Street, Accrington, and Mudasar Zafar, 36, also of Countess Street, also each deny causing grievous bodily harm.

Abubakir Iqbal and Ghous are also accused of damaging a CCTV camera which captured the incident.

The trial continues.