A MURDER trial sparked off violent events which left a man fighting for his life after a baseball bat attack, Preston Crown Court heard.

Gerald McCullion had brain surgery to remove a blood clot and was not expected to survive the night.

The 48-year-old was set upon by brothers Eamon Thomas Mahoney and Stephen Mahoney when he tried to attack them in the street with an axe.

Mr McCullion, whose nephew was a co-defendant in a murder trial, targeted the Mahoney family because he believed they would give evidence.

Stephen Mahoney, 26, of Lytham Road, and Eamon Mahoney, 22, of Morecambe Road, both Blackburn, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding.

They earlier denied unlawful wounding, wounding with intent and assault causing actual bodily harm but changed their plea when a surgeon altered his evidence on the second day of the hearing. The two other assault charges were withdrawn.

Mr McCullion, also known as Scots Leo, spent the day of the attack at Preston Crown Court, where his nephew was later jailed for the killing of 22-year-old Kevin Sudall from Darwen, who was kicked to death outside a Blackburn nightclub. John Wishart, prosecuting, said Mr McCullion had two "gangsters from Glasgow" with him with the aim of intimidating witnesses in the Sudall trial.

One of the Scottish men is due to stand trial for murder next week accused of a shooting.

Mr Wishart said: "There was supposed to be a beating and they believed Mr McCullion had misled them about the intended victim.

"The row culminated with Mr McCullion smashing the windows of the two men's hire car with an axe." Mr McCullion then arrived at the Mahoney family home brandishing the axe.

Mr Wishart added: "Mr McCullion went down the street waving the axe and the defendants arrived in a car armed with baseball bats.

"There is no doubt that Mr McCullion's behaviour was extremely erratic and violent."

Witnesses told police Mr McCullion was hit several times, with at least one blow landing on his head.

The court was told Dr Gurusinghi now believed Mr McCullion could have suffered the injury which caused the blood clot 15 minutes before the attack.

The Mahoney brothers will be sentenced on Friday.

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