Blackburn garage worker assaulted by bosses

Blackburn magistrates heard the victim was hit with a metal roller and suffered a cut to the back of his head.

And he told police of his terror as he saw the door being locked and realised he was going to be attacked.

Ayaz Hussain, 28, of St James Road, Blackburn, and Feroz Suleman, 32, of Shear Brow, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Usayn Hajee. They were both ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work and pay £100 compensation and £145 costs.

Suhayl Razak Suleman, 29, of Shear Brow, Blackburn, was convicted after a trial of the same charge. He was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work and pay £50 compensation and £650 costs.

All three were made subject to a restraining order which bans them from having any contact with Mr Hajee for 12 months.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Mr Hajee worked for RI Tyres which is run by the Suleman brothers.

He was at work when he received a call from a friend saying there was going to be some trouble.

Shortly after, his bosses and Hussain came into the office and Feroz Suleman told him to sit down and told Hussain to lock the door. He then demanded to know if Mr Hajee had been saying things about his sister.

Miss Allan said: “He then played a recording of Mr Hajee saying something derogatory about his sister.”

She said Mr Hajee was punched on the temple, hit on the head with a battery charger and kicked by Suhayl Suleman. Hussain threw a metal roller and a metal tool at the aggrieved and both hit him on the head.

Miss Allan said Feroz Suleman said: “That was nothing, I didn’t go full force. If you go to the police I will kill you.”

Graeme Parkinson, defending, said the Suleman’s sister was 36 and was rebuilding her life after a divorce. Hajee, in drink, had been saying things which were very damaging.

He said: “That upset the brothers and Mr Hussain was brought into it because he was being accused of having an affair with the sister. They went to speak to him but these are not violent men.”