A MURDER trial was suddenly halted when one of the defendants was taken ill in the dock.

Miftah Ul-Haq, 40, of Elizabeth Street, Elland, is accused with two other relatives of murdering 33-year-old Billy Khan during a violent disturbance in the Langdale Street area of the town last August.

He put his hands to his chest and complained of pains during yesterday’s hearing and the case was dramatically halted.

The jury was sent out as assistance was called for and when they returned the Honorary Recorder of Bradford, Judge Stephen Gullick, confirmed that Ul-Haq had been taken away from court and the trial would resume on Monday.

Ul-Haq together with 29-year-old Kayshan Farooq and his 51-year-old father Mohammed, both of Langdale Street, have all denied the murder allegation. The trio, who are standing trial at Bradford Crown Court, also deny attempting to murder Billy Khan’s brother Yusuf.

Mr Khan, 30, who was stabbed in the chest shortly before his brother was fatally knifed in the abdomen, was being cross-examined by Kayshan Farooq’s barrister when Ul-Haq put his hand to his chest and complained of pains.

Billy Khan died less than three hours after being released from police custody.

He had been arrested the day before after he kicked in the door of the flat in Charles Street from which he had been evicted.

The prosecution allege that there was considerable enmity between the Farooq family and Billy Khan because of previous anti-social behaviour.

The jury heard yesterday that Billy Khan had described the Faro

oqs as ‘grassers’ because he blamed them for his arrest the day before.

Yusuf Khan, who spent five days in hospital after being stabbed, described how he saw Kayshan Farooq pushing his father back into their home after an earlier exchange of words.

The brothers were both allegedly stabbed during an attack by Mohammed Farooq and Ul-Haq later that afternoon and Yusuf Khan accepted that he did not see Kayshan Farooq until he ran towards the scene after the stabbings had taken place.

But he added: “The pocket of time between that was fractions of seconds. I first saw him when I was backed up against the wall.’’

The court heard that Kayshan Farooq accepted carrying a small kitchen knife at the time and Mr Khan said he ran for his life when he got the chance.

The three defendants also deny an alternative charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm in respect of Yusuf Khan.

The trial continues.