Birmingham man accused of being a ‘hitman for hire’ has been remanded into custody over ‘plots to assault Pakistani dissidents at UK homes’
A man from Birmingham has been remanded into custody after being accused of orchestrating violent attacks on two Pakistani dissidents at their UK homes
An alleged “hitman for hire” from Birmingham has appeared in court accused of orchestrating violent attacks on two Pakistani dissidents at their homes in the UK.
Louis Regan, 25, is accused of plotting simultaneous assaults on human rights lawyer Mirza Shahzad Akbar and journalist Adil Raja at 8am on Christmas Eve last year.
Mr Akbar was previously a member of the cabinet under jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan while Mr Raja is an outspoken critic of the current Pakistani government who has written extensively about alleged corruption in the country’s military.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard Regan is accused of leading a “planned and sophisticated” plot for both men to be attacked on their doorsteps simultaneously.
“A group attended Mr Raja’s address at 8am but Mr Raja wasn’t in,” said prosecutor Warren Stanier.
But the court heard Mr Akbar was at home in Cambridgeshire when a group, allegedly led by Regan, knocked on his door.
Mr Stanier said: “The prosecution say Mr Regan was the actual attacker that disguised himself in a workman’s uniform, hi-vis jacket, helmet, gloves and a mask.
“They knocked on the door of Mr Akbar’s house, and when Mr Akbar confirmed he was the person, he was then assaulted, punched numerous times to the face, causing him bruising, cuts and a broken nose.”
The prosecutor suggested reconnaissance trips were taken earlier to Mr Akbar’s home and the address of Mr Raja in Chesham, Buckinghamshire.
A 'controlling mind'
Regan, a second-year sport and exercise science student at Canterbury University, is accused of being a “controlling mind” of the two assault plots and it is alleged he was “a man willing to work for hire, to commit these kind of violent vicious attacks”.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram remanded Regan into custody ahead of a hearing at the Old Bailey on February 13.
The judge characterised the case against Regan as being “a hitman for hire for violence”.
Regan will be joined at the Old Bailey by co-defendants Karl Blackbird, 40, from Bedworth, Clark McAulay, 39, from Coventry, and Doneto Brammer, 21, from Wood Green, north London, who all appeared in court for the first time on Saturday.
Blackbird is accused of involvement in both alleged plots to attack Mr Raja and Mr Akbar while McAulay is accused of the conspiracy to assault Mr Raja.
Brammer is accused over a second incident on New Year’s Eve last year when it is said Mr Akbar’s home was set alight and Brammer was carrying a firearm.
Mr Stanier told the court on Monday that Regan is not accused of involvement in the second incident.
Regan and Blackbird face two charges of conspiracy to commit assault occasioning actual bodily harm, McAulay faces one charge of conspiracy to commit assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and Brammer faces charges of possession of a prohibited weapon, conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to commit arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
Blackbird, McAulay, and Brammer were also remanded in custody on Saturday.
