A MAN attacked his older brother with a cavalry sabre after saying he would “slash him up” following an early morning confrontation, a court has heard.

Christopher Lee Barker, 41, hit his brother David on the head with the sword at the family home, York Crown Court heard.

Witness Claire Bond alleged that Christopher Barker appeared with the weapon shortly after her friend David Barker, 47, pushed his younger brother out of the home at 6am on November 25.

“Christopher held the sword above his head and said he was going to slash him up, then he struck the sword on the top of David’s head and instantly David started bleeding,” she alleged.

She claimed David Barker had not hit his brother or been violent to him and that the only person to hold the sword throughout the incident had been Christopher.

Earlier, opening the prosecution, Nicholas Adlington alleged that Christopher Barker struck David Barker repeatedly with the sword, including one blow aimed at the neck.

He also smashed the glass of an oven with the sword during the incident which, according to the prosecution, left David Barker with cuts to his scalp, both shoulders, his right forearm and his left thumb.

Christopher Barker, of New Lane, Huntington, denies wounding David Barker with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

Mr Adlington said the brothers had been with their mother and Ms Bond in the early hours, at the house in New Lane, and all had had some alcohol. At 6am, the two brothers had a confrontation after their mother fell over.

David Barker asked Christopher Barker to leave, which he did, but he returned a few minutes later with the cavalry sabre.

Christopher Barker was arrested at his brother’s home and taken by police to hospital with a fractured cheekbone.

He declined to answer questions when interviewed.

Ms Bond alleged Christopher Barker fell over at one point during the incident.

The trial continues.