A Briton, whose fingers were severed, has described how he escaped from an angry mob in Karranah, only to find himself involved in a brawl with a sword-wielding youth and fighting for his life.

However, Peter Morrissey, 53, could not identify his attacker when he testified at the High Criminal Court yesterday with the help of a translator and told judges he could not remember whether the suspect was wearing a mask or not.

The suspect, a 20-year-old Bahraini, has been charged with assault, possession of a weapon and theft after he allegedly stole the victim's car.

Mr Morrissey, who lives in Bahrain but works in Saudi Arabia, was ambushed when he left the Country Club in the village on February 3.

"I don't know if this is the man who attacked me, I cant remember if he wore a mask or not, but the defendant had the same physique as the attacker," he said.

"I was drinking alcohol with some friends at the Country Club, when I left I got lost in the village which I found out later was called Karranah.

"I was sitting in the car trying to figure out the directions out of the village when a gang of masked youth approached my car and opened the door.

Secluded

"They tried getting me out, some were putting their hands in my pockets looking for something to steal, I then managed to shut the door and pull away from the mob."

He was attacked once again after he managed to drive away from the mob and parked in another secluded location inside the village as he tried to find his way out.

"As I was parking, another teenager started shouting and banging on my car with a weapon which looked like a sword," he added.

"He was very hostile and aggressive, I didn't know who he was and I assumed he was part of the gang that attacked me earlier.

"I felt trapped in my car so I went out and resisted him, but as I held his hand, he managed somehow to strike the sword downwards on my fingers."

He then chased his attacker around an alleyway, before the suspect got into the victim's car and fled, Mr Morrissey said in court. He was asked by the leading judge to identify his assailant in court, but he said he was not sure if the defendant was the same man who attacked him. He then held his right hand up to show judges his severed fingers. The trial was adjourned until September 10 for defence witnesses to testify.