‘Associate’ of man shot dead by police on M62 jailed after firearms conviction

AN ASSOCIATE of a man shot dead by an armed officer during a police stop on the M62 has been jailed for 18 years, after being involved in a conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition on the day of the incident.

Mohsin Amin, 32, was driving the Audi A4 that Yassar Yakub was killed in on January 2 last year, after four unmarked police cars surrounded the vehicle at junction 24 of the motorway in Huddersfield.

Leeds Crown Court yesterday heard how the officer who fired the fatal round at 6.05pm saw Mr Yakub holding a weapon, and felt that the 28-year-old was an imminent danger.

Telling the court how the deceased had been involved in a drugs feud, prosecutor Peter Moulson said: “It is clear that the officer had no other option and did what was necessary to protect his or herself, his or her colleagues, and members of the public on that busy slip road.”

Following a fortnight-long trial, jurors found Amin, of Broomer Street, Dewsbury, guilty of conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life on the day of Mr Yakub’s death.

Sentencing him to 18 years in jail, judge Mr Justice Turner told the defendant: “You knew that Yassar Yakub had a gun, which you both intended should be used in a way that endangered life in a preconceived and imminent way.”

Jurors had heard how Amin, Mr Yakub and two other men, 28-year-old Rexhino Arapaj and David Butlin, 39, were monitored by police as they travelled from the Cedar Court Hotel in Huddersfield to Cafe de Akbar in Leeds Road, Bradford.

The jury cleared both Arapaj, of Thornlea Road, Huddersfield, and Butlin of conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition, but found Butlin, of Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, guilty of possession of an offensive weapon, a push-knife, on the day of Mr Yakub’s death.

He was jailed by the judge for 18 months.