Knife attack accused Daniel Smith takes stand

Taking to the stand at Leeds Crown Court yesterday, Daniel Smith said he lost control after a confrontation in the street on August 26, 2011.

“When I realised what I had actually done, I was totally disgusted with myself,” he said.

“It’s not nice to arm yourself with weapons and scare somebody in that way.”

Last week, the court heard about a long-running dispute between Smith’s girlfriend and the family living next door to them in Victoria Road, Thornhill Lees.

The family spoke of their fear as Smith started banging on their door, shouting racist abuse and making threats.

Smith, 41, said he had been drinking and smoking cannabis earlier that day.

He said the outburst was sparked by a fight in the street with members of the neighbouring family.

He said that after the fight broke up, he was hit from behind and the other men returned to his neighbour’s house.

“I was fuming,” he said. “I believed that I had been jumped and I wasn’t having that.

“My head had gone completely so I armed myself with knives.”

After taking two kitchen knives from his home, Smith went next door.

He said he wanted the men to come outside and fight him one-on-one.

Smith admitted shouting racist abuse and chanting English Defence League slogans before throwing the knives at an upstairs window.

He said he kept banging on the door and felt ‘foolish’ when he fell through as it gave way.

Once inside, Smith said he was attacked by the family who used an iron bar, the tube of a vacuum cleaner and other items to beat him.

He said he punched out to defend himself until he was forced into the street, where they continued to hit him.

But he denied taking knives into the house or causing a cut to the arm of one of the family members.

Smith said he suffered cuts to his head, swelling to his jaw and mouth, and bruising to his ribs.

Asked why he later lied to police about having the knives, Smith said: “I was embarrassed about what I had done. I was ashamed.”

Smith denies aggravated burglary and assault by beating.

The trial continues.