Five more men convicted of offences after woman and child injured in house fire

One man has been convicted of attempted murder of a woman and child and a further four other men have been convicted of other offences following a house fire in Stoke-on-Trent.

Today (Friday 20 February), the jury returned their verdict following an 11-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court:

• Shakil Uddin (below), 23, of Oldham, was convicted of attempted murder and arson with intent

• Lukman Khan (below left), 24, and Riyadh Iqbal (below right), 23, both of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, were both found guilty of Section 18 – grievous bodily harm with intent and arson with intent

• Muhammad Sufyaan-Shah (below left), 25 of HMP Hindley, Wigan, and Tayyeb Majeed (below right), 23, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, were both convicted of Section 18 – grievous bodily harm with intent.

Prior to the start of the trial, Ali Abbas (below left), 22, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, and Haris Mahmood (below right), 21, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, both pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life.

At around 4pm on 16 December 2021, Naveed Hussain, Bilal Ahmed, Kashif Ahmed and Ali Abbas had a fight on Kildare Street, Longton. Kashif Ahmed received a stab wound to his shoulder and went to hospital for treatment.

At 10.55pm the same day, a number of men went to a house on Beverley Drive, Bentilee, demanding to speak to Naveed Hussain. The men smashed the downstairs windows and poured petrol in the hallway near to the front door and outside near to the living room window.

A 31-year-old woman was struck on the head and set on fire. She received 65 per cent burns and was not expected to survive, but she did. She was in a coma for two months and has life-changing injuries that require continual medical treatment.

A 13-year-old girl received 15 per cent burns to her right arm and right leg. To escape, the woman and the girl, smashed the upstairs bedroom window and jumped out. The woman suffered a broken pelvis, broken ribs and a lacerated liver; she had to learn to walk again. They were both taken to hospitals in Birmingham for treatment. 

The case required extensive work to piece together CCTV, digital evidence and specialist material to build a robust evidential case for each individual involved.

Prior to the trial, Naveed Hussain (below left), 32, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place in December 2025. Kashif Ahmed (below middle), 25, of Stoke-on-Trent, and Bilal Ahmed (below right), 26, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent and Ali Abbas, 22 of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

DC Howard Davies, of our Major Investigations Department, said: “This was a very detailed and thorough investigation. We left no stone unturned to examine the circumstances of this case. 

“This was a horrific ordeal for a mother to be set on fire in her own home in front of her daughter by a number of men seeking revenge.

“Our investigation reflects the sustained commitment of officers and partners to securing justice for the victims and ensuring those involved are held fully accountable.”

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Michelle Hickmott, of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Following a thorough investigation working alongside our police colleagues, we are extremely pleased with the outcome of this case.

"Our investigation teams use their extensive skills and knowledge to identify when a fire has been started deliberately and then assist the investigation further to bring arsonists to justice.

"We are continually proud of the way our fire investigation colleagues work in collaboration with police to achieve these results."

The men have all been remanded and are due to be sentenced at a date, time and location to be fixed.