Teenager attacked with Samurai sword, court told

Angelo Lazarus, 21, allegedly chased after Leon Whyborne, 18, and slashed him on the leg and hand with the weapon in the early hours of October 11 last year.

Hove Crown Court heard how Lazarus worked in the Londis store in Sidley, which was run by Rakakaran Thurairajah, 28.

Thurairajah, formerly of Ninfield Road but now living in London, admitted unlawful wounding on Mr Whyborne after he also gave chase and hit him with a bat.

Lazarus, also formerly of Ninfield Road, denies wounding with intent.

Prosecutor Stephen Shay said: "In the course of the incident, a young man named Leon Whyborne, who was 18, sustained a very serious injury to his left hand, inflicted say the prosecution, by a samurai sword.

"Mr Thurairajah operated a Londis shop in Sidley. Mr Lazarus also worked there. Both these defendants were born in Sri Lanka.

"At about 3.30am somebody set fire to some newspapers outside the Londis shop, a pile of newspapers which was delivered to be sold the next day.

"The prosecution can't tell you who did it, there were a number of youths present at the time. One was Leon Whyborne. The prosecution do suggest to you it was not Leon Whyborne who set fire to the newspapers.

"Mr Thurairajah and Mr Lazarus were staying in a flat opposite the shop. They came out once they were aware of the newspapers being on fire and gave chase.

"Leon knew them both from having been a customer at the shop.

"Mr Thurairajah's attention turned to Leon Whyborne. Leon had been running away with some of the other youths. Mr Thurairajah produced an implement from his sleeve.

"Some witnesses, including Leon, describe the implement as being like a baseball bat. It is right to tell you that no baseball bat was found by police.

"Whatever the implement was, the prosecution case is that Mr Thurairajah hit Leon several times with it.

"He then called Mr Lazarus over. Leon started to run away again. Mr Lazarus gave chase and pulled out a samurai sword.

"He then proceeded to hit Leon with it.

"There was a cut to the thigh but really the serious injury and the reason why this very serious charge is made is the injury to the hand because Leon's hand was literally split in two,

"The samurai sword cut between the middle finger and the ring finger. It had to be put back together again surgically.

"It really was a very serious injury although not life threatening."

Giving evidence, Mr Whyborne said the initial attack from Thurairajah, had been like: "Being in the ring with Mike Tyson."

He said he had been out with friends before getting a taxi back to Sidley with some of the group before beginning to walk home alone.

But he said some of the group then ran past him, telling him to run because Thurairajah, known as Raj, and Lazarus, known by his middle name of Valentine, were allegedly chasing them.

He said: "Raj stopped and saw me and started running towards me.

"He came running up towards me and started hitting me with a baseball bat.

"He said, 'What were you doing outside my shop, white boy?'

"I said, 'I haven't done nothing.'"

He said he was hit about three times and when asked what it felt like he said: "Like being in the ring with Mike Tyson.

"Valentine came running up. I tried to run away. He sliced me on the back of my leg with the sword.

"He said, 'You have caused too much trouble outside my shop white boy.'

"Then I went down on my knees, I put my hands up and he just sliced me through my left hand."

Thurairajah will be sentenced on May 18. Lazarus denies wounding with intent.

The trial continues.