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| Sikh leader attack: Sri Satguru Uday Singh Ji attacked 'in revenge' | Sikh leader attack: Sri Satguru Uday Singh Ji attacked 'in revenge' |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| A Sikh religious leader was attacked with an axe at a temple in revenge for alleged sexual abuse, a jury has heard. | |
| Sri Satguru Uday Singh Ji, described by police as the worldwide spiritual head of the Namdhari community, was assaulted at the Gurdwara Namdhari Temple in Leicester. | Sri Satguru Uday Singh Ji, described by police as the worldwide spiritual head of the Namdhari community, was assaulted at the Gurdwara Namdhari Temple in Leicester. |
| Harjit Singh Toor, 27, admitted grievous bodily harm with intent but denies attempted murder. | Harjit Singh Toor, 27, admitted grievous bodily harm with intent but denies attempted murder. |
| The victim was attacked on 11 August, hours after arriving in the UK. | The victim was attacked on 11 August, hours after arriving in the UK. |
| The prosecution compared his position for Namdharis to that of the Pope for the Roman Catholic faith. | The prosecution compared his position for Namdharis to that of the Pope for the Roman Catholic faith. |
| Birmingham Crown Court was shown video footage of the moment he was attacked, suffering a broken arm and facial injuries. | Birmingham Crown Court was shown video footage of the moment he was attacked, suffering a broken arm and facial injuries. |
| Opening the case, prosecutor Gordon Aspden said Toor, of Woods Close, Oadby, Leicestershire, was motivated by religious hatred for his victim. | Opening the case, prosecutor Gordon Aspden said Toor, of Woods Close, Oadby, Leicestershire, was motivated by religious hatred for his victim. |
| The prosecution does not accept Toor's claims that he was sexually abused by him 20 years ago in India. | |
| He said: "Although the defendant is an orthodox Sikh he was dressed like a Namdhari, wearing a white turban. | He said: "Although the defendant is an orthodox Sikh he was dressed like a Namdhari, wearing a white turban. |
| "That manner of dress meant he was able to walk into the gurdwara without being challenged. | "That manner of dress meant he was able to walk into the gurdwara without being challenged. |
| "He walked down the central aisle... and when he reached the platform, the defendant pulled back his shawl and produced an axe that he had concealed underneath it. | "He walked down the central aisle... and when he reached the platform, the defendant pulled back his shawl and produced an axe that he had concealed underneath it. |
| "He then attacked the guru with the axe. | "He then attacked the guru with the axe. |
| "The guru's assistant, with great bravery, moved forward and managed to shield his master." | "The guru's assistant, with great bravery, moved forward and managed to shield his master." |
| Shortly after the attack, he was heard to say that "his guru" was the Sikh holy book and he did not believe in a living guru, the court was told. | Shortly after the attack, he was heard to say that "his guru" was the Sikh holy book and he did not believe in a living guru, the court was told. |
| In his attack, Toor swung the 3ft long axe three times, breaking his victim's arm as he tried to protect himself and slashing his face, jurors were told. | In his attack, Toor swung the 3ft long axe three times, breaking his victim's arm as he tried to protect himself and slashing his face, jurors were told. |
| The court saw CCTV footage which showed worshippers wrestling the defendant to the ground and kicking him. | The court saw CCTV footage which showed worshippers wrestling the defendant to the ground and kicking him. |
| The trial is expected to last a week. | The trial is expected to last a week. |