A FRIENDLY handshake preceded a punch in the face which knocked Irfan Ahmed to the floor.

Blackburn magistrates heard his assailant, Tahir Hussain, later left the country to undergo a drug rehabilitation programme in Lahore but now wanted to get the matter dealt with so he could make a clean start.

Hussain, 31, of Sterling Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Ahmed, causing him actual bodily harm. He was remanded on bail until October 11 for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

Clare Fanning, prosecuting, the background to the case was that the defendant's brother's car had been broken into.

Mr Ahmed was outside his home, talking to friends, when Hussain approached. He shook hands with Mr Ahmed and there was then an exchange about the brother's car.

"Hussain accused Mr Ahmed of breaking into the car and before he had time to reply he was punched to the face and knocked to the floor," said Miss Fanning.

She said Mr Ahmed thought he had banged his head and passed out but his brother said he was across the road and saw Hussain kick him in the head.

Basharat Ditta, defending, said his client denied the kicking allegation. He said initially the two men had shaken hands but when the car was discussed things became heated. "My client accepts that he lost his temper and punched the other man twice," said Mr Ditta.

Mr Ditta said that at the time of the offence Hussain had been using drugs and shortly after he was admitted to Queens Park Hospital with psychiatric difficulties caused by drugs.

"Fortunately his family rallied round and arranged for him to go to a clinic in Lahore," said Mr Ditta. "As soon as he got back he came to see me to get this matter resolved".