Hammer attack victim Henry Webster

A TEENAGER accused of planning the hammer attack on Henry Webster said he went to the Ridgeway School because he heard about Asian boys being bullied at the school.

Bilal Yakub, 18, of Nursery View, Faringdon, said he heard co-defendants Mahbul Ali and Aqduss Rauf discussing trouble at the Wroughton school, while they were in the canteen at New College on January 11 last year.

Giving evidence in his defence on day 16 of the second hammer trial, Yakub, pictured, told Bristol Crown Court about a conversation that took place in the canteen at New College, where he was a student at the time, on the afternoon of the attack.

"Some kids were getting bullied," he said.

"Mahbul Ali said there was some bullying going on at Ridgeway School. Aqduss was standing there and Mahbul said (the 15-year-old defendant, who can't be named for legal reasons) was involved.

"Mizanur was with me when Mahbul Ali told me what had happened at Ridgeway School earlier.

"He just told us what happened, then went to his lesson. Before he left he said if you know anything else text me'.

"I texted him with the details of who was going to Ridgeway School. I knew me, Mizanur and Aqduss were going. I heard in the canteen Wasif Khan was going."

Cross-examining Yakub, Michael Magarian, defending Ali, asked: "There was an agreement to go down there and have it out with those people causing problems.

"You heard about bullying and you heard about a racial element and obviously you were all upset about it.

"I would say it was a show of strength, to show this kind of thing would not be tolerated."

Yakub agreed but said he did not know the reason why Wasif Khan and Amjad Qazi, who were found guilty of the attack, went to the school.

l The case continues.

9:00pm Wednesday 26th March 2008

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