Jury fail to reach verdict in gang attack case

Kasim Mohammed, 26, of Bearwood Road, Smethwick, was alleged to have been one of up to six men who assaulted Shahid Khan in his sister-in-law's home on July 8 last year.

He denied causing grievous bodily harm and possession of an imitation firearm.

But after deliberating for five hours and 37 minutes a jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court was unable to reach a verdict. During the trial the court was told that Mr Khan was struck with baseball bats during the attack in Aberdeen Street, Winson Green.

The assault was alleged to have been carried out in revenge over a minor car accident involving Kasim Mohammed's brother, Shakeel, that occurred the previous day.

But witnesses told the jury that Kasim Mohammed had not been at the address at the time of the attack. Taking the stand during the trial, Luke Colley said he had driven up to Liverpool with the defendant on the day before the assault. He said they had then gone on to Manchester where they had picked up another man who the jury was told was Ahmed Amjad Ali, a friend of Kasim Mohammed's father.

Mr Ali said he had travelled down to the West Midlands with the intention of accompanying the defendant on a trip to North Wales to visit his father in prison on July 9.

Describing the events of the evening of July 8, he told the court: "We went to Kasim's dad's house and in the evening we went to get some food."

Another witness, Taimore Zabair, said he had also been out with Kasim Mohammed on the night that Mr Khan was assaulted.

The court was told that Mr Khan's wife had initially told police that she didn't know who had carried out the attack, although she later identified Kasim Mohammed as being present.

A re-trial is now to be held later on this year.