Four men have been jailed for life after slaughtering a father-of-four with a machete in the middle of the street over a long-running family feud. Sajed Choudry (pictured), 42, had his ears sliced off and skull hacked open in the vicious attack near his home in Blackburn, Lancashire, on November 27 last year.
Sadaqat Ali, 36, his brother Rafaqat Ali, 38, their father-in-law Fazal Ilahi, 63, and another man, Syed Ali Akbar, 45, were given life terms at Preston Crown Court Monday. Sentencing,
The court heard the family had been involved in a feud with Mr Choudry's family since May 2018. On the evening of the attack, Sadaqat Ali had initially armed himself with a machete and tried to confront Mr Choudry's son, Ahsan, 24. He then went to Ilahi's home, where the men armed themselves with an axe and sticks. Rafaqat Ali, Akbar and a boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, also joined them for a confrontation with the Choudrys. Members of the Choudry family were in tears in the public gallery as the men were sentenced.
Rafaqat Ali, Ilahi and Akbar were found guilty of murder and wounding with intent following the eight-week trial. Rafaqat Ali was sentenced to a minimum of 28 years and Ilahi and Akbar were jailed for a minimum term of 20 years. The youth, who was convicted of manslaughter and wounding, will be sentenced next month. Saira Ali, 35, and Asma Ali, 34, the wives of Sadaqat and Rafaqat, were cleared earlier in the trial of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
