Law student shot dead in crossfire of business dispute, court told

A “remarkable and inspirational” law student was shot dead in the street after being caught in the crossfire of a dispute between two tyre companies, a court has heard.

Aya Hachem, 19, was hit by a bullet fired from a passing car as she shopped for groceries near her home in Blackburn on 17 May.

Police said the teenager, who was a young trustee at the Children’s Society, was an innocent victim and not the intended target of the shooting.

Six people charged with her murder appeared at Preston crown court via video link on Wednesday afternoon.

Alexander Langhorn, prosecuting, said police had been called to the shooting, arising out of what appeared to be a dispute between RI Tyres and Quick Shine.

He said it was the crown’s case that the defendants arranged the attempt to shoot and kill Pachah Khan, the owner and manager of Quick Shine.

Feroz Suleman, 39, appeared alongside fellow defendants 24-year-old Kashif Manzoor, Ayaz Hussain, 34, Uthman Satia, 28, and Abubakir Satia, 31, as well as Judy Chapman, 26. They were all further remanded in custody and no applications for bail were made.

The six are also charged with the attempted murder of Khan, who police allege was their intended target.

Judge Mark Brown, the honorary recorder of Preston, set a provisional trial date of 4 May 2021, which he described as “a worst-case scenario” amid the coronavirus pandemic. He said he hoped it may be brought forward but jury trials across the region were not expected to begin “in the next few weeks”.

Separately on Wednesday, a 33-year-old woman from Bolton became the 15th person arrested in connection with Hachem’s murder. Further to the six people charged, two men have been bailed, five people released under investigation and one man released without charge.

Hachem, a second-year student at the University of Salford, died in hospital from the single gunshot wound a short time after emergency services were called to the scene in King Street at about 3pm.

Her family arrived in Britain 10 years ago after fleeing violence and threats in their native Lebanon. Her father, Ismael, finally secured his British citizenship last year, family friends have said.

Her distraught parents said she was the “most loyal devoted daughter” who enjoyed spending time with her family and dreamed of becoming a solicitor. Hachem’s colleagues and former teachers have described her as “a beacon of hope” who was determined to use her past experience to improve lives in Britain.