A taxi driver has been convicted after a vicious attack with a knife, hammer and knuckleduster in his own bathroom.

Justin Burr was unanimously found guilty of causing grievous harm after the row escalated over rent on New Year's Day last year.

That was despite Burr claiming in defence he was the one who was attacked.

Justin Burr earlier told the court that when he entered Andre Warner’s bathroom Mr Warner “lunged at him.”

“He put his fingers as far as he could in my eye sockets,” Burr told a jury at Maidstone Crown court.

“I remember screaming and then someone came in and hit him.”

Burr, of High Street, Chatham, denied causing grievous harm to Mr Warner on New Year's Day last year.

Mr Warner told the court that for a short time in 2011 he and Burr, who had been friends since childhood, shared a house together and were supposed to share the costs.

“It didn’t take long before I was paying all the rent,” Mr Warner told the court. He said Burr left the property and he did not receive the money he was owed.

On New Year’s Day he was at home in Rainham with a friend Michael Fletcher when he went to have a shower.

“While I was in the shower I was attacked,” he told the court.

“I looked up and saw Justin coming towards me with a knife. He said I owed him money. As he came in the bathroom there were two other guys behind him.

“I jumped up and knocked the knife out of his hand and grabbed him. I was slipping and sliding and received some blows. The other guys came in and one came at me with a hammer.

“I managed to grab that and pushed my weight against Justin.”

Mr Warner said one of the others took a knuckleduster out of his pocket and beat the side of his face with it, breaking his jaw and splitting his nose.

“I was getting beaten,” Mr Warner said. “I don’t know how but I managed to get out of the bathroom and down the stairs. I ran out through the front door. I was still naked. Michael saw me in a mess with blood everywhere and these three behind me.

“Four men got out of a taxi and kept punching me all over my body. Someone grabbed me through the railing by my testicles. It was painful.”

Mr Warner said the men chased Mr Fletcher up the road throwing beer glasses.

One of the men stabbed Mr Warner with a wooden ice pick. Mr Fletcher came back holding a house brick and the men jumped into Burr’s taxi and drove off.

Mr Warner said the attack left him with cuts, bruises, a broken jaw and a stab wound. He has no feeling now on the left side of his jaw.

Cross examined by Kieran Brand, defending, Mr Warner said he and Burr had an argument over the growing of cannabis plants at the home they shared but he denied threatening to kill Burr with an axe and opening his door to him with a hammer in his hand. He admitted chasing him in his car.

Mr Brand said to Mr Warner: “You are a paranoid cannabis user capable of violence.”

Mr Warner replied: “I saw a man with a knife, one with a hammer and one with a knuckleduster. I thought I was going to be killed. I was defending myself.”

“I saw a man with a knife, one with a hammer and one with a knuckleduster. I thought I was going to be killed. I was defending myself" - Andre Warner

Burr told the court that on the day of the incident he picked up seven men, some of whom he knew, and took them to a restaurant but it was very busy.

“I had this not really great idea that they could watch my back when I went to see Mr Warner,” Burr told the jury. “I wanted to get my money for the house deposit from him.”

They went in the house and up to the bathroom where Burr said Mr Warner tried to gouge out his eyes. “I said all I want is my money and he said all right, I’ll get your money,” Burr said.

“At this point he picked up a claw hammer and made for the door. I chased him and got him by the front door and grabbed the hammer. We were stuck like this on the front step; him naked and me not being able to let go of the hammer because I knew he would hit me.

“We were punching each other and he put his fingers in my mouth and I bit him.

Mr Warner had no fight left in him and I made a dash for my van. I dropped the other guys off and cleaned myself up. I apologised to the others because I had dragged them into the situation.”

Sentencing on Burr has been adjourned for reports until the week beginning November 17. He was given conditional bail until he's sentenced.