A “peacemaker” was murdered and two others stabbed by a husband and wife as neighbours battled over a leaking drain, a court heard.

East London Advertiser: Sultan AhmedSultan Ahmed (Image: Archant)

The fatal dispute began when one family complained about dirty water seeping into their garden from their neighbour’s home on the Isle of Dogs.

When the rivals confronted each other, mother Gulbahar Begum, 51, allegedly grabbed a machete - or ‘dha’ - and repeatedly brought it down on members of the rival clan on May 29 last year.

Her husband, Shofique Uddin, 51, allegedly stabbed Sultan Ahmed, 20, in the back as his wife urged “get him with all your force.”

“What should have amounted to no more than a trivial neighbourly dispute turned into a dreadful display of violence that left one young man dead and three further people injured,” said prosecutor Ed Brown.

“The tragedy is that Mr Ahmed was something of a peacemaker during these events.”

The Old Bailey heard last Tuesday (September 10) that the Ahmed family lived at number 41 in Larson Walk, and the Uddin/Begun family were at number 39.

When the mother from number 41 told her son what happened, he went to confront their rivals. The murder victim was a friend of the son who happened to be present.

“Within a very short time Gulbahar Begum appeared with a large and very dangerous knife in both hands,” Mr Brown said.

“She lifted it above her head, repeatedly bringing it down on those in front of her.”

At one stage Mr Ahmed had the accused killer in a head lock trying to stop the confrontation, but Uddin broke free and allegedly stabbed the victim.

Uddin denies murder, Gulbahar Begum denied two charges of wounding with intent, and Rahela Begum denies causing actual bodily harm.

The trial continues.