A DISPUTE between neighbours ended with a York man being slashed with a samurai sword, a court heard.

The claim was made on the first day of the trial of Stephen David Hammond and John Christopher O'Callaghan, who are accused of attacking Steven Johnson in Acomb.

The court heard that Mr Johnson suffered multiple injuries in the attack, including a deep gash which exposed the bone in his arm.

Hammond, 49, and O'Callaghan, 40, both from Hertfordshire, each deny a charge of wounding with intent.

David Gordon, prosecuting, told York Crown Court sitting in Teesside yesterday that the two men inflicted serious injuries on Mr Johnson as he was returning home to his flat in Kingsway West, Acomb, on July 3 last year.

The jury heard that in 2003, Mr Johnson broke a window of the downstairs flat below his own after an argument about loud music. Hammond's daughter, Stacey Richardson, lived in that flat with her boyfriend, Guy Mason.

Mr Gordon said that on the night of the attack, as Mr Johnson was returning home after drinking with friends, he heard a man say: "You have put my daughter's window through."

Mr Gordon said: "The man who said this was none other than Mr Hammond. At that point another man, Mr O'Callaghan, came out of the downstairs flat and he was holding some kind of sword."

Mr Johnson told the court he was struck over the head with the sword. He said: "It felt as if somebody had tipped a bucket of water over my head. It (blood) was all dripping down my face." He said he blacked out, and when he came to another neighbour had called an ambulance. He was taken to hospital, where he was treated for four days.

Mr Gordon said forensic scientists found spots and smears of Mr Johnson's blood on the blade of a samurai sword later discovered by police in a bedroom in the downstairs flat. Police also identified smears of Mr Johnson's blood on a bath mat found under a duvet in the same room. A spot of blood on Hammond's trousers was also shown to be Mr Johnson's.

Charles John-Jules, for Hammond, asked Mr Johnson how much he had had to drink on the day of the attack.

Mr Johnson replied: "Quite a lot. I had had a good drink, but I was not extremely drunk."

The trial continues.

Updated: 10:05 Wednesday, February 23, 2005