AN alleged victim of a city ‘stabbing’ told jurors that if he had not raised his arm to defend himself the GBH trial could have become a murder trial.

Emman Riasat, 18, of Outram Road, Oxford, denies one count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and another of unlawful wounding.

Prosecutors claim that Riasat stabbed his victim with a large pen knife while outside a house Nowell Road, Rose Hill, at about 4pm on April 12 last year.

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As his trial continued at Oxford Crown Court yesterday, the alleged victim Azher Hussain took to the witness box to give his version of events.

Mr Hussain told jurors that he saw Riasat standing across the street talking on a mobile phone and he went over to find out what he was doing there.

Speaking of the attack that followed he told jurors: “[Riasat] has seen me coming out and then he was coming towards me.

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“I said to him ‘what are you doing here’ and stood away. Without hesitation he said ‘I will f***ing show you’ and he pulled out the knife from his jacket with his right hand.”

He then described the blade being ‘swung’ at him during a brief scuffle before he held his arm up to defend himself resulting in the the knife striking him, causing an injury to his bicep.

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During cross examination it was put to Mr Hussain that he was in a ‘temper’ after a row with his wife and had been the aggressor during the incident.

Mr Hussain denied further suggestions that he had wielded the weapon after confronting Riasat that afternoon.

He went on: “If I had not put my arm up he would be in here for murder.”

Riasat denies both counts and the trial continues.