Mr Shafiq's son, Umar, told the court the chain was not a weapon and his father was a law-abiding citizen.

Mr Peter Birkett (defending Bhatti) said when the defendants saw the chain, they became abusive and insulted Mr Shafiq's mother. He became angry and walked towards them.

Mr Mark Stuart (defending the 17-year-old) said his client accepts striking Mr Shafiq with a metal bar, however, he said his client was not present at an incident in February when Mr Shafiq's son, Umar, was involved in an altercation with Shadab and Shadab's father.

Mr Stuart went on to question why Umar did not go home with his father when he came to pick him up on the day of the fight in Thompson Park. Mr Stuart said "You were wanting to avoid conflict weren't you? What stopped you getting a bus home to Nelson or going home with your father? When your father came you had every opportunity to go home but you chose not to. You wanted to get a gang together to sort them out once and for all."

Umar said: "If I had gone home this would have continued the day after. Should I have ignored it till it got worse? You have got the wrong impression. I told my father I wanted to speak to the defendants and sort it out."

The trial continues