Trial of eight people accused of men’s car-crash murder adjourned for a week

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The trial of eight people accused of murdering two men, who died in a crash on the A46, has been adjourned until next week.

Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin, both 21, died in the collision on February 11 2022.

The victims, both from Banbury, Oxfordshire, were in a Skoda Fabia which left the road just before the Six Hills junction near Leicester at around 1.35am.

Facing trial after denying the men’s murders are Ansreen Bukhari, 45, and Mahek Bukhari, 23, both of George Eardley Close, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

The women appeared in the dock of Leicester Crown Court alongside the co-accused. Natasha Akhtar, 22, of Alum Rock Road, Birmingham, Sanaf Gulammustafa, 22, of Littlemore Close, and Ameer Jamal, 27, of Catherine Street, both Leicester, each deny two counts of murder.

Raees Jamal, 22, of Lingdale Close, Loughborough; Rekan Karwan, 28, of Tomlin Road, Leicester and Mohammed Patel, 20, of Braybrooke Road, Leicester, have also entered not guilty pleas to the same charges.

The three women and five men have also denied two counts of manslaughter.

A jury was sworn in on Tuesday with the case widely expected to open on Thursday.

But Mr Justice Saini told the jury that for legal reasons, the case would not now open for another week, adjourning the case until October 27.