A 60-year-old Sikh man stabbed a drinker in the street with his ceremonial sword, a court has heard.

Bagicha Singh, of Richmond Road, Ilford, is accused of attacking Pritpal Singh, 30, repeatedly with his kirpan during an altercation near Sunnyside Road, Ilford.

Jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court today heard Pritpal Singh had been drinking in South Park when he became angry after hitting his leg on a metal pole.

After shouting at the pole, and turning his frustration on a passing family who got in his way, Mr Singh was taken away by his friends before allegedly stating that he would “hit the next person that gets in my way”, the court was told.

The group were heading towards Sunnyside Road when Mr Singh came across Bagicha Singh, who was walking in the opposite direction.

Mr Singh attacked the elderly defendant, it is said, who in turn then allegedly began stabbing Mr Singh.

The accused said he acted in self-defence, because he was being attacked by Mr Singh.

Shahzad Hussain, one of Mr Singh’s friends, told the court: “He [Bagicha Singh] was slashing it [the knife] from left to right and as they got closer he tried to stab it into him.

“Pritpal dropped to the floor and [was] still getting stabbed at and that is when we got involved to pull them apart.

“As we tried to get Pritpal away the man came back and then stabbed him again in the back.”

It was only when the group walked away from the scene that Mr Singh realised he had been stabbed.

Bleeding heavily, he was rushed to hospital and treated for a wound.

Bagicha Singh denies wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and a count of unlawful and malicious wounding.

The trial continues.