THE victim of a brutal late-night attack told a court how he thought he was going to die as a masked intruder throttled him.

Giving evidence on day two of the trial at Barrow Crown Court yesterday, (8) takeaway boss Christoph Alexandrou described how he was pounced on by a man wearing what looked like a Christmas stocking with eyes cut out. A Santa sack was put over his head as he was punched and strangled, Mr Alexandrou said.

He held his hand over his mouth and wiped away tears as he listened intently to the desperate 999 call he made that evening.

Kevin Robinson has denied attempted grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm on November 30. The 35-year-old of Napier Street, Dalton, claims he tried to talk to his ex-employer at Lakeland Continental and Mr Alexandrou attacked him “like a wild animal.”

Mr Robert Wyn Jones, prosecuting, asked the victim if there were issues between himself and the defendant.

He replied: “It made it a bit difficult because Kevin, his wife and another staff member wanted me to sack an innocent member of staff. His wife didn’t want to work for my partner anymore and Kevin only wanted to work for me if I sacked the other staff.”

He explained how on the night in question he had been cleaning up after the King Street shop had shut at 10.30pm and was heading to his upstairs flat about 11pm. Mr Alexandrou said he went out of the back door carrying a bag of dirty overalls to wash, some honey for a sore throat, his keys and mobile phone.

He said: “As I shut the door a man came out of the outside toilet. He was wearing a hood. It was like a balaclava with writing on. I think it was a Christmas stocking with eye holes cut in it. He punched me twice in the head.

“I screamed for help and dropped everything. He put something over my head. It was a bag, a big bag that went down to my shoulders.”

The jury of six men and six women were shown a red Santa sack used during the attack. Mr Alexandrou said there was a struggle and they both ended up on the floor. He added: “He was pushing the bag inside my mouth and trying to strangle me.

“For the first time in my life I thought it was the end. I couldn’t breathe. I thought ‘that’s it’. He swore and said he was going to kill me. I managed to pull the hood off and I grabbed at his hood and saw the right side of his face.”

Mr Wyn Jones asked him if he thought he was going to die. “Yes,” replied Mr Alexandrou. The witness said that it was at this point the defendant fled the scene and he ran inside, locked the door and grabbed a knife before calling the police. The trial will continue tomorrow. (10)