A violent family feud over property and money erupted into a brutal assault in Small Heath, Birmingham, when Mohammed Karim, 51, stormed his brother-in-law’s home and launched a relentless attack, a jury was told.
Karim, described as charging in “like a raging bull,” began kicking and punching the victim, his brother-in-law, while his son, Mohammed Roshan Arif, 22, joined in, placing the victim in a chokehold and strangling him.
The victim, who chose to remain anonymous, recounted the terrifying moments during the assault, telling the court he feared for his life and invoked memories of George Floyd’s murder, describing feeling breathless and paralyzed under the chokehold.
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This violent episode followed a tense family agreement restricting the sister’s children from staying at the victim’s home due to ongoing disputes over money and property. The conflict intensified on August 25, 2023, when the victim returned from a trip to Dubai to find cash missing and his nephew Arif staying over against the agreement.
Upon confronting his sister’s husband Karim via text, Karim reacted aggressively, arriving within 30 minutes and launching the unprovoked attack. The victim testified about being overpowered, punched repeatedly in the face and body, and fearing that his elderly mother, who was present, would be harmed next.
Despite his efforts to fend off Karim, the arrival of Karim’s wife, Sourton Nessa, 49, and her sons only escalated the violence. Nessa was present but later acquitted of assault charges. Her son, Mohammed Rashid, 27, was also cleared despite allegations of using a knife during the fracas.
CCTV footage and an audio recording corroborated the assault. Karim and Arif denied the charges, claiming self-defense and peacekeeping respectively, but a Birmingham Crown Court jury found them guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, with Arif additionally convicted of strangulation.
The victim described the attack as a traumatic experience, recalling his own desperation and feeling he had lost consciousness amidst the violence. Sentencing for Karim and Arif is scheduled for April 24.