Thugs filmed attack accusing man of arson

JON MACPHERSON

THREE thugs accused a man of committing arson and filmed the confrontation on a mobile phone, a court heard.

Mehtab, Adam and Iqhlaq Hussain went to the office of Tiger Taxis on Whalley Road in Accrington in a ‘misguided attempt to extract a confession’ out of the victim.

Prosecutor Frances McEntee told Burnley Crown Court that the incident happened at around 1am on July 1 last year and was filmed by Adam Hussain on his mobile phone.

The court heard how Adam Hussain’s hire car had been ‘burnt out’ several days earlier and that all three defendants had been ‘ making their own enquiries as to who was responsible’.

Mr McEntee said: “In broad terms the word on the street had been that it was the complainant who had, if not himself carried out the arson, had instigated that offence.”

The three defendants and an unknown fourth man went to the Tiger Taxis office, where Iqhlaq Hussain ‘punched the victim to the side of his face’.

The court heard how the victim was punched ‘more than once’.

Two other men in the office tried to pull back Iqhlaq Hussain but were stopped by the other two defendants, the court heard.

Mr McEntee said: “The incident was being recorded by Adam Hussain on his phone.

“He was trying to gather evidence and they had expected that the victim was going to admit that he was responsible for the Haslingden, and Iqhlaq Hussain, 37, of Cold Harbour Lane, Camberwell, London, all pleaded guilty to affray and were ordered to complete 60 hours unpaid work.

Conor Quinn, defending, said it was ‘out of character’ for all three defendants.

He told the court: “It was born out of a misguided attempt to extract a confession for an alleged earlier offence of car being burnt out, which is why the recording was being made.”

Deputy Circuit Judge Leslie Hull said the defendants were ‘on a mission’ and that it was a ‘very ugly incident’.

He said: “Part of the menace of this type of case is the element of lawlessness it introduces.”