The father of one of three men killed during last summer's riots has
said lawyers had been instructed to review a criminal trial which saw
eight men cleared of murder - leaving the victims' families in "utter
shock and despair". Haroon Jahan and brothers Shazad Ali and Abdul
Musavir died after being hit by a Mazda car as they tried to protect
shops in Winson Green, Birmingham, from looters last August.
Eight
men were accused of murdering the three friends in a "modern day
chariot charge" but were acquitted by a jury last Thursday, following a
lengthy trial at Birmingham Crown Court. Haroon's father Tariq
Jahan, who made an emotional plea for calm just hours after the deaths,
has said: "The community did not let us down. The law however, has." He added: "Our sense of disappointment and regret over this verdict cannot be stated in words."
Addressing
a press conference at a Winson Green community centre, Mr Jahan spoke
of his disappointment that no-one had been held responsible the deaths. He
said: "To our utter shock and despair, on Thursday 19 July, the jury
acquitted all eight men. This is no answer for us. It simply means that
no one has been held accountable for what happened. "Whilst the
accused celebrated and showered themselves in champagne, we bathed in
tears of pain and sorrow. Our grieving continues."
Mr Jahan added:
"We are no longer able to trust the criminal justice system to provide
the answers we so desperately need. We have therefore instructed lawyers
to review the criminal trial and the events that led to the death of
our sons. "We will not let our sons down."
Source: Press Association
