AN ELDERLY Imam was punched to the ground and kicked metres from his mosque by a thug after stepping in to make peace in a street row.

Jahur Ahmed Manja was near the Jamia Mosque, which he led, when one of the arguing group, 26-year-old Dawid Czart turned on him.

Mr Manja was punched to the ground and then kicked as he lay helpless in Northumberland Road, Southampton. He was left with a cut mouth and bruising to his body.

Mr Manja’s 19-year-old son, Mohammed, came to help but Dawid Czart waved a knife in the air.

Meanwhile, in nearby Empress Road, Czart’s twin brother Andrzej, also began waving a knife around and lunged at a passer-by, cutting his bag.

He then began gesturing at a police officer, who had arrived on the scene, before running into a house clutching the knife.

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The court heard how the officer then began negotiating with Andrzej Czart, who eventually came out of the house without the blade. He fled and was chased through neighbouring gardens.

However, when the officer caught up with the person he thought was Andrzej, it turned out he had been chasing his brother Dawid – who then punched him on the jaw.

Andrzej Czart was arrested nearby, having climbed on a roof.

But when he was arrested he gave his brother’s name.

Andrzej Czart, of Amptill Road, admitted affray and obstructing a police officer during the incident at 10pm on Friday, May 7.

Dawid Czart, of Northumberland Road, pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm, affray and assaulting a police officer.

The court heard how Dawid Czart had a 50-week suspended prison sentence imposed last year for aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving.

It turned out that he had an international arrest warrant from Poland for charges relating to theft, criminal damage, assault and making threats for which he was sentenced to four years in his absence.

Jailing Dawid Czart for 73 weeks, Judge Peter Ralls said: “Kicking an elderly person is potentially very serious indeed “Jahur Manja was an elderly Imam attending a mosque. He came to see a fight in the street and attempted to break it up and you turned on him.”

Dawid Czart will be arrested and deported to Poland after serving his sentence. But Judge Ralls stood back from jailing Andrzej Czart, instead imposing a community supervision order of 12 months plus 150 hours of community service.

David Stern, defending Dawid Czart, said his client was apologetic and was determined to change.

Andrzej Czart was said to have no criminal record and was described as a hardworking man supporting a family in Poland.

After the trial Det Con Howard Broadribb, of Bitterne CID, said: “This is a serious incident that happened outside a mosque in a mixed area. But, despite trying to confuse us, justice prevailed.”

Azard Majid, of the Muslim Council of Southampton, condemned the attack.

He said: “People were surprised and shocked that this could happen.

“He is a respected member of our community. So we are pleased that justice has been done.”