A suspect in an an attempted murder described himself as 'Worcester's gangster' and made threats of rape against a man's family before driving a car at a group at speed, a jury was told.

The witness, who cannot be identified, said Usman Multani had first threatened him his family over the phone on a withheld number then drove at him. He was sworn at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, giving evidence behind a screen.

The alleged incident happened the day before a man was attacked with a machete in Wyld's Lane, Worcester although the defendants in that attempted murder say their rental car was attacked with weapons.

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Usman Multani, 27, of Westminster Road, Ronkswood, Kaasim Multani, 23, also of Westminster Road and Shahenul Alam, 32, of Ivor Road, Sparkhill, deny attempted murder, violent disorder and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.
 

We have previously reported how Owais Saleem suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain following the attack at around 1am in Wyld's Lane, Worcester on November 24, 2019.

A staff nurse called emergency services from Worcester A&E, describing the victim as having 'a stab wound to the face' and 'half his face hanging off his skull'. The witness described receiving a call from a man on a withheld number who identified himself as Usman Multani, asking him if he had 'beef with Luke Bridger' on November 23, 2019.

He said he asked Multani what his problem was and that Multani replied: "You've got beef with my boy. When your boys aren't around, what are you going to do?"

Asked what threats Multani made to him personally, he said threats of rape were made against female members of his family. He said he swore back at Multani but added: "I did not make no threats. I know I did use some foul language back."

He also said he told Multani there was no need to bring his family into it and 'we would sort it out amongst ourselves'. The witness said Multani told him: "I'm landing now."

Speaking from the witness box, he said he thought at first it was an 'empty threat'. "But I realised it wasn't an empty threat" he said.

About 15 minutes later a grey A-Class Mercedes with the 'newer shape' was seen coming from the bottom of Midland Road, being driven at about 5mph, he said.

At that stage he said he could not make out who the driver was as the car approached the mini roundabout. "I had an idea who it would be" he said of the driver.

Two doors on the car opened and closed again before he said the car performed a U-turn. "The car drove towards us to pretty much knock us out" he said.

He said there were between five and 10 people in the road. The car, he told the jury, was speeding and he could hear the engine revving as the Mercedes accelerated, swerving towards Compton Road. One of the people in the road pushed two people out of the way and one man was struck on the knee and his foot was run over by the car, he said.

The witness said at this stage he was able to identify Usman Multani as the driver and that he shouted an insult at the group.

"He kept referring to himself as a gangster. He was saying he was Worcester's gangster and portraying himself as dangerous" he said.

The trial continues.