A witness to a violent assault says he has lost faith in the police service after being locked up for not attending court.

Sajid Hussain, a man of impeccable previous character, spoke of his nightmare ordeal and said it had left him with no trust in the police.

He was jailed for a night at Strangeways because police thought he would not turn up to court.

But detectives said the plight of twenty-five year old Mr Hussain of Whalley Range, Blackburn, should serve as a warning to others who were thinking about not attending court.

Mr Hussain, who works for his familys shop, made an emergency call and then a statement to police after witnessing a fight between several men in Earl Street, Blackburn, in September 2004. His evidence eventually helped to secure the conviction by jury of Mazer Alshmery who was jailed for assaulting Saleh Farhan.

Mr Hussain said he had always intended to give evidence but believed police got the wrong idea about him after there were two failed attempts at giving evidence.

He added: I did not sleep all night in Strangeways. I was there along with armed robbers and all those kinds of criminals. It was a nightmare.

I was just so scared. It was all unbelievable. I have lost my faith in the police now knowing that this can happen.

People in the area know I was in jail and think I might have been doing something wrong like drug dealing.

I was trying to help but there is no way I would ever do it again.

If I saw someone getting beaten up I would not get involved as I would not want to be locked up in the cells again.

In August this year Mr Hussain claimed he attended court during the week he got married and waited all day to give evidence, only for the hearing to be adjourned.

Mr Hussain said the next court date fell during Ramadan so he told the court he could not attend and the case was put back to November 21.

On that day, Mr Hussain, who said he suffers from asthma, arthritis and eczema, said he woke up feeling poorly and told the court that it could be midday before he was able to attend.

He said that the court staff told him not worry and that he could attend on the Tuesday.

However, on the Tuesday morning at 9.20am he said he was arrested by two police officers at his home in front of his wife and parents and dragged out of his house into the cells at Preston Crown Court.

This despite saying he told them he was attending court on the day.

His hands were tied behind his back and he was forced into a police car.

I felt as if I was the criminal.

Despite being arrested Mr Hussain was not called that day and the judge sent him to prison for the night to ensure he gave evidence the following day.

He says he was not given access to a solicitor until the following day.

Mr Hussain finally gave evidence on Wednesday afternoon and was ordered to attend court again, when he was bound over for six months for contempt of court.

Detective Constable Dan Perkins, of Blackburn CID, said they had been given the impression Mr Hussain did not want to attend court.

He confirmed Mr Hussain was of impeccable previous character and added, It was rare for a judge to jail a witness, but he said that he felt he had to send a message out for others to turn up in court.

If people making statements to the police dont turn up in court the whole court procedure falls over and it doesnt do anybody any good because suspects will get off for serious offences.

Sajids brother Shahid told us, No-one in our family has been in trouble with the law. I cant believe an innocent person would be treated like this by the police.