AYA 'MURDER'

Student, 19, shot dead on way to Lidl ‘gunned down in crossfire of row between two tyre firms’

A LAW student who was shot dead on her way to Lidl was caught in the crossfire of a row between two rival tyre firms, a court heard.

Aya Hachem, 19, was hit by a bullet fired from a passing car on Kings Road in Blackburn, Lancashire, on the afternoon of May 17.

The first of two shots fired from a passing vehicle hit a building but the second hit the University of Salford student in the chest.

Emergency services were scrambled to King Street in Blackburn just after 3pm on Sunday May 17, but paramedics were unable to save Aya.

Five men and a woman have been charged with her murder, and appeared via video link at Preston Court Today earlier today.

The Court heard that the shooting arose "out of a business dispute between two tyre companies" in the area, RI Tyres and Quick Shine.

Prosecutor Alex Langhorn told the court that the intended target had in fact been Pashar Khan - who owns the Quick Tyre and Quick Shine car wash business in Whalley Banks, Blackburn.

Mr Langhorn said: "Tragically in the cross-fire Miss Hachem was shot and killed."

Those charged with the murder were local residents Feroz Suleman, 39, who appeared alongside Kashif Manzoor, 24, Uthman Satia, 28, Abubakir Satia, 31 and Ayaz Hussain, 34, as well as Judy Chapman, 26, of Great Harwood, Lancashire.

Mr Langhorn said more people may be charged in relation to Miss Hachem's death "but at this stage it's unknown whether or how many further defendants there will be" on the indictment.

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

Judge Mark Brown set a provisional trial date for May 4 2021 but added that was "a worst-case scenario" amid the pandemic and he hoped it would be brought forward.

'PURE SOUL'

Aya was a Children's Society charity volunteer, and her family had moved to Britain from Lebanon ten years ago.

Family friend Lukey Hussein told The Sun Online that dad Ismail had come to the UK for a better life after himself being shot ten years ago.

He said: "They fled Lebanon for the war with people threatening to kill him.

“Coming from something like this to the UK and now his daughter gets shot.

“This is history repeating itself. I can’t imagine what he must be going through.”

Aya was shot just 100 metres from where she lived with mum Samar and dad Ismail and their three younger children.

Heartbroken dad Ismail Hachem has since paid tribute to his "strong" eldest daughter, and said she had a "pure soul".

The dad-of-four wrote on Facebook: "My strong daughter lawyer Aya Ismail Hashem God's mercy on your pure soul.

"Hey who broke our back with your horizon you were all dream, science and morals.

"Oh Allah, inspire us with patience and solace.”

According to her family, she had dreamed of being a solicitor and was a "loyal, devoted daughter".

Magistrates agreed on Saturday to a three-month closure order submitted by Lancashire Police relating to RI Tyres - owned by Suleman and close to where Aya was shot.

The six are charged with the murder will be expected to enter pleas at a further hearing on October 16.