SHAHID MOHAMMED FROM HUDDERSFIELD CONVICTED OF TRIPLE FAMILY MURDERS IN BIRKBY HOUSE FIRE

In a tragic and devastating case that shocked the community of Huddersfield, a man named Shahid Mohammed has been found guilty of the brutal murders of three generations of a single family following a house fire in Birkby, Huddersfield, in the year 2002.

Mohammed, aged 37 at the time of the trial, was formerly a resident of Huddersfield. He faced a lengthy and intense trial at Leeds Crown Court, where the court heard harrowing details of the fire that claimed the lives of eight family members. The victims included five children and three adults, all of whom perished in the blaze that broke out on Osbourne Road.

The victims' names and ages were as follows: Zaib-Un-Nisa, aged 54; Nafeesa Aziz, 35; Mohammed Ateeq-ur-Rehman, 18; Tayyaba Batool, 13; Rabina Batool, 10; Ateeqa Nawaz, 5; Aneesa Zawaz, 2; and the youngest, Najeebah Nawaz, just six months old. The tragedy left the community in mourning and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the fire.

During the five-week trial, the jury found Mohammed guilty of eight counts of murder—specifically, the murders of the five children and three adults—and also convicted him of conspiracy to commit arson. The verdict was delivered after a detailed examination of the evidence presented by prosecutors and testimonies from witnesses.

One of the key witnesses was Siddiqah Aziz, a surviving family member who recounted her harrowing experience of escaping the inferno. She managed to save her father from the flames but was unable to reach other family members due to a wall of fire that blocked her path. Her testimony underscored the chaos and horror of that night.

Prosecutor Alistair MacDonald QC described the fire as a carefully planned attack. He explained that the fire rapidly developed after petrol was ignited, trapping those upstairs in the house. The evidence suggested that the attack was deliberate and meticulously orchestrated. MacDonald also revealed that Mohammed, after fleeing the scene, was heard to have said to an accomplice, Iqbal, “Did you see the way it went up?” indicating a possible involvement in the arson.

Mohammed’s arrest and extradition from Pakistan marked a significant development in the case. He was located and detained in Rawalpindi on January 22, 2015, following a joint operation involving West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, the National Crime Agency, Pakistani authorities, and the British High Commission in Islamabad. His extradition was only the second from Pakistan in over a decade, highlighting the complexity and international cooperation involved.

He had been held in a Pakistani prison since his arrest, and his return to the UK was supported by multiple agencies. The extradition process was lengthy, but it ultimately led to his trial and conviction. Mohammed Zubair was another individual extradited from Pakistan in May 2016 and was later convicted of murder at Bradford Crown Court in February 2017, setting a precedent for such international legal cooperation.

Mohammed is expected to be sentenced later today, with the court likely to impose a significant penalty given the severity of his crimes and the tragic loss of life involved. The case remains a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of deliberate arson and the importance of justice for the victims and their families.