Trial begins over deaths of men in Birmingham riots

Eight people are to go on trial in connection with the deaths of two brothers and another man who died after being hit by a car during the riots in Birmingham last summer.

Haroon Jahan, 21, and siblings Shazad Ali, 30, and Abdul Musavir, 31, were hit by a car on Dudley Road during disorder in the Winson Green area in the early hours of August 10.

The trio were pronounced dead in hospital.

Jahan, Ali and Musavir were hailed as heroes who died protecting homes and shops from looters during the riots last August.

Hours after his son Haroon's death, Tariq Jahan made an emotional appeal to groups of youths gathered outside his home in Winson Green.

Mr Jahan's call for calm was credited with helping to bring an end to the riots and he subsequently received a Pride of Britain special recognition award for his compassion and dignity in the aftermath of his son's death.

The trial at Birmingham Crown Court is expected to last 10 weeks.