A MAN has denied making a samurai sword revenge attack on a neighbour who had caused continual problems for his daughter.

Stephen David Hammond, 49, claimed that apart from a broken window in April, he had nothing against Steven Johnson, the man who lived above his daughter, Stacey Richards, in Kingsway West.

He and his friend, John Christopher O'Callaghan, 39, who both come from Hertfordshire, alleged they saw four other men, armed with one or more large knives, attack Mr Johnson near the Acomb man's house.

His daughter and her partner, Guy Mason, alleged that the next day, a 12-year-old boy called at their house and warned them they and Hammond and O'Callaghan would be killed unless the two men kept quiet about the knife attack on July 3.

The couple claimed they saw men sitting in a Transit van nearby and that they were so scared they left the flat the same day.

Hammond alleged he had received similar threats from the knife men themselves.

The prosecution at York Crown Court, sitting in Teesside, allege that Mr Johnson had regularly caused problems for Ms Richards and Mr Mason, and that Mr Mason had told police in September that Mr Johnson had been "harassing" the couple.

Hammond, of Redbourn, and O'Callaghan, of Berkhamsted, deny wounding Mr Johnson with a samurai sword with intent.

Giving evidence, Hammond claimed that although there had been problems between his daughter and Mr Johnson in the past, they had ended when Mr Johnson was fined for breaking her window in April. He denied telling Mr Johnson outside his flat on July 3: "You have put my daughter's window through."

He claimed he had hidden a bloodstained bath mat from his daughter's bathroom because he was terrified of the men with knives.

O'Callaghan claimed he had waved a samurai sword at the men with knives to frighten them off. Both men denied that O'Callaghan had used it on Mr Johnson.

The hearing continues.

Updated: 10:00 Friday, February 25, 2005