Elland murder accused lied to save nephew court hears

May 22 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A MAN charged with murdering Billy Khan has been accused lying to save his nephew from jail.

Miftah Ul-Haq, 40 was charged with the offence along with his elder brother Mohammed Farooq and his nephew Kayshan Farooq.

The trio had also denied the attempted murder of Khan’s brother Yusuf who suffered a life-threatening stab wound to the chest following the street brawl in Elland last August.

But yesterday in a dramatic twist Kayshan Farooq, 29, changed his mind and admitted attempting to murder Yusuf Khan.

The charges of murdering Billy Khan against him were dropped.

Following the decision of Recorder of Bradford Judge Stephen Gullick, to throw out the case against Mohammed Farooq on Wednesday, only Ul-Haq now remains on trial.

The jury at Bradford Crown Court had already heard Ul-Haq admit to stabbing Billy Khan during the brawl, but he said it was to save his brother’s life as Khan was about to cut his brother’s throat.

Following the stabbing Ul-Haq said he had chased his nephew down Beech Street and grabbed him to prevent him from getting into more trouble.

He said at this point he accidentally stabbed his nephew as the large kitchen knife was still in his hand.

He then said he dumped the blade down a nearby sewer.

But in a tense session of cross-examination, prosecutor Tom Bayliss QC, accused Ul-Haq of making up the scenario.

He said: “I put it to you that you and Kayshan jointly attacked Yusuf Khan.

“This is entirely made up isn’t it?”

“No sir,” said Ul-Haq.

“There’s no mention of you grabbing Kayshan in your police statement,” said Mr Bayliss.