A cabbie told a jury he froze in shock when he witnessed two men being beaten with a hammer in a Bradford living room.

Sabir Hussain, accused of joining in the attack with a dumb-bell bar, said he had no idea Mohammed Zubair was about to strike his wife’s lover and another man at his home in Heath Terrace, Barkerend.

Hussain, giving evidence in his defence at the Bradford Crown Court trial, denies murdering Ahmedin Khyel and Imran Khan on May 10 last year.

Mohammed Iqbal Mazar, 29, of Athol Road, Heaton, Bradford, denies perverting the course of justice by assisting in the removal of bloodstains and bloodstained items from the house.

The jury has heard that Zubair killed the men after finding out that Mr Khyel, 35, a London father of seven, was having an affair with his wife, Kainat Bibi.

Zubair, who worked with Hussain at Tyersal Private Hire in Bradford, fled to Pakistan after dumping the men’s bodies, it is alleged.

Hussain, 40, of Wensleydale Road, Thornbury, Bradford, said he went to Zubair’s house to use the toilet.

He had been told that “Ahmed”, the London man, and his friend were coming round.

Zubair unwrapped a hammer and two dumb-bell bars from a cloth.

Hussain told the jury he said: “I am going to use these to scare them. I want them to think I am serious.”

When Zubair’s mother whispered something in his ear, Zubair walked quickly into the front living room with the hammer.

Hussain said he and Zubair’s nephew, Zeeshan, followed with the dumb-bell bars.

The visitors were on the sofa and Amhed had blood coming from his head.

Zubair struck Ahmed up to four times on the head with the hammer.

Hussain said that when Imran stood up: “I thrust my bar towards him to push him back down.”

Imran took hold of both bars and Zubair turned round and attacked him, striking up to six blows, before resuming his attack on Ahmed.

Hussain said of Zubair: “He was too big physically for me to stop him. He appeared calm but he was just violently beating them both up.”

Zubair’s mother threw herself on the injured men shouting: “Stop it my son. That’s enough.”

Hussain told the jury Zubair said: “Move mother” and lifted her out of the way.

“He hit Imran on the head. The hammer got stuck in his head. Blood came squirting out,” Hussain said.

He told the jury Zubair threatened to do the same thing to his wife and daughter.

“It was so unexpected. I just froze. I was shocked,” Hussain said.

Ahmed then moved towards him.

“I had a bar in my hand. I pushed it towards him. The bar made contact with his body,” he said.

Asked by his barrister, Anthony Cross QC: “Did you strike him over the head with the dumb-bell?” Hussain replied: “No.”

He said the men were “still moving and still breathing” when he left the house.

The trial continues.