A pathologist who carried out the post-mortem on a Keighley man fatally beaten in a brutal street attack has outlined the dozens of injuries that he suffered.
Suhail Choudry died three days after he was attacked in the street by a group of men wielding metal poles in the early hours of February 8 this year.
During the brief but vicious assault on Sefton Place, which was captured on CCTV, he suffered 52 separate wounds including fractures to his skull and arm as well as extensive brain injuries.
Some of the wounds were sustained as he sought to defend himself against his attackers.
Giving evidence on the third day of a murder trial at Sheffield Crown Court, consultant forensic pathologist Dr Robert Ainsworth outlined his pathology report using body-mapping illustrations to detail Mr Choudry’s numerous injuries.
He said the 35-year-old father-of-two was treated at the scene of the attack by ambulance crews but was by then “deeply unconscious”.
His blood pressure was unrecordable, and both his pulse and heartbeat were slow.
The jury heard that the fracture injuries to Mr Choudry’s head impacted on his ability to breathe.
He was stabilised and taken to Leeds General Infirmary where his blood pressure was found to be critically low.
He remained deeply unconscious and his pupils were fixed, which Dr Ainsworth said indicated a severe injury developing in the brain.
Mr Choudry was transferred to the LGI’s neurosurgery department where he underwent emergency surgery and where he was found to have suffered trauma to the brain as well as a large blood clot.
He also had a variety of significant facial injuries and was found to have a broken left arm.
During February 8 and 9 he underwent a repeated CT scan.
There was marked swelling to the brain, which had also been damaged due to lack of oxygen and blood supply.
There were attempts to remove his sedation to monitor any neurological function, but Mr Choudry remained deeply unconscious.
At that point, the nature of his injuries was deemed to be “irreversible” and “unsurvivable”.
(Image: Telegraph & Argus)
Active therapy was withdrawn on February 11, and Mr Choudry died the same day – three days after the attack.
A post-mortem examination carried out on February 13 established that Mr Choudry had suffered 52 separate injuries including skull fractures, deep lacerations, and “tramline” bruising, which the court previously heard is consistent with being hit by a pole or similar weapon.
Those tramline marks were found on his face and body.
Dr Ainsworth described the two-track tramline injuries as “caused by contact with a blunt, linear object.”
Other injuries were visible on Mr Choudry’s arms – his left arm was broken due to “not insignificant force,” said Dr Ainsworth – and on his fingers and hands.
Asked by prosecuting barrister John Harrison KC if the injuries to the arms and hands were “defensive type”, Dr Ainsworth replied: “Yes, certainly.
“The bruising on the upper part of the arm, and then confluent bruising on the back of the left forearm, and indeed the fracture to the forearm bone itself, may well have been sustained when lifting the arm to try and protect oneself from a blow.”
The jury previously heard that Mr Choudry was the victim of a “co-ordinated and pre-planned” attack.
Six men are on trial.
• Rashid Hussain, 41, of Redcliffe Street, Keighley, denies murder, violent disorder, and having an offensive weapon in a public place.
• Hakeem Gulzar, 28, of Plover Street, Keighley, denies murder, violent disorder, and having an offensive weapon in a public place.
• Faisal Khan, 26, of Malsis Road, Keighley, denies murder, violent disorder, and having an offensive weapon in a public place.
• Mohammed Aliyaan Khan, 23, of Malsis Road, Keighley, denies murder, violent disorder, and having an offensive weapon in a public place.
• Majid Hussain, 42, of no fixed abode, Keighley, denies murder, violent disorder, and having an offensive weapon in a public place.
• Waseem Khan, 40, of East Avenue, Keighley, denies murder.
The trial continues.