Dog fight men to appeal

Five of the seven men locked up for their roles in an illegal dogfighting ring in Birmingham have been freed on bail after appealing against their convictions.

The men, including Smethwick businessman Barkat Hussain, had been handed sentences of between four and six months. Among them was Hussain's champion boxer son Waqqas Mughal, pictured.

Mughal was sent to a youth offenders institution for four months for his role in the organised fight that involved his own pit bull terrier Elvis.

Birmingham Magistrates Court had heard that police raided the meeting in a specially adapted kitchen showroom in Alum Rock in February last year.

Yesterday, however, Mughal, aged 18, of Unett Street, Smethwick, and co-defendant Zahoor Hussain, who also admitted his role in the fight, did not appeal their convictions.

District Judge Khalid Qureshi told the defendants that it would not be possible for the men challenging their convictions to have their cases heard before March.

He told the defendants: "Because of the nature of the case, and the type of arguments that will inevitably put forward on your behalf, you would have spent more time on appeal than the sentence I would impose."

Yesterday's decision was guided by the Human Rights Act.

Appealing their convictions are: Barkat Hussain, 43, of Unett Street, Smethwick; Intikab Hussain, 31, of Sladefield Road, Ward End, Birmingham; Sohail Hussain, 28, of Parkfield Road, Saltley, Birmingham; Zahir Ahmed, 31, of Bevington Road, Aston; and Ummar Ahmed, aged 26, of Phipson Road, Birmingham.

Judge Qureshi granted each defendant bail on condition that they live at their current addresses, and in the case of Umman Ahmed that he also surrenders his passport.

The men appealing their convictions also had the five-year bans on keeping dogs they were earlier given suspended for the duration of their challenges.

Nineteen other men who attended the fight have been fined. Some are appealing against the decision.