A MURDER trial jury has been told that stabbing victim Billy Khan would not have survived the knife wound he suffered during a street disturbance in Elland last August.
Home Office pathologist Dr Alfredo Walker told Bradford Crown Court yesterday that the 33-year-old suffered a gaping wound to the right side of his abdomen during the incident last year.
The knife used to cause the fatal injury penetrated to a depth of about 22cm and cut across one of the main veins in Mr Khan’s body.
The knife also caused damage to the abdominal aorta resulting internal severe bleeding.
“Was this a survivable injury?” asked prosecutor Tom Bayliss QC.
“No this was not a survivable injury,” replied Dr Walker.
“It would have taken an heroic attempt by an heroic surgeon to salvage this victim.
“There would have been a very narrow window to get into the abdomen and stem the bleeding.”
Dr Walker estimated that Mr Khan would have collapsed almost immediately and death would have occurred within minutes.
The court heard that Mr Khan had bruises and abrasions on his right hand which the pathologist suggested were most likely to have been caused by delivering a blow with a clenched fist.
A toxicological test following his death showed that Mr Khan’s blood alcohol level was just under half the legal limit for driving.
“It is not a very high concentration and I would not have expected any significant intoxicant effect from this,” added Dr Walker.
Miftah Ul-Haq, aged 40, of Elizabeth Street, Elland, is alleged to have fatally stabbed Mr Khan during an incident close to 51-year-old Mohammed Farooq’s home in Langdale Street.
Both men together with Farooq’s 29-year-old son Kayshan deny murdering Billy Khan and attempting to murder his brother Yusuf Khan, who was also stabbed during the disturbance.
The trial continues.
