One of the workers, who was just eighteen years old, interposed himself as a “peacemaker”, “completely defenceless” — only for the member of Rahman’s mob armed with the axe, Mohammed Awais Sajid, or ‘Skinny’, to suddenly slam the weapon into the young man’s chest, smashing through his ribs and collapsing a lung.
“[Sajid] followed up with a 360 degree spin of his arm, an act which was doubtless employed to enhance the speed and devastation of the attack,” recalled prosecutor Tim Storrie.
“The blow itself was aimed at the victim’s head. He was dimly aware at this stage of the weeping of blood down into his waistband. He was turning his body, attempting to leave the scene.
“Through good fortune, he said he realised the axe was above him aiming for his head. He put his arm up to defend himself and the blade essentially severed his arm at the wrist.”
The dreadful incident was only brought to a close by one of the tree surgeons revving a chainsaw at the mob to scare them away — although not before Rahman had shattered another worker’s nose with a knuckle-duster.
