THE trial of four Burnley College students accused of killing Nelson father-of-seven Mohammed Raja Shafiq in Thompson Park earlier this year has taken a dramatic twist this morning.
Defendant Bilal Bhatti (21), of Holcombe Drive, Burnley - who had earlier denied his part in the incident - has now pleaded guilty to murder.
While a 17-year-old who also denied murder has admitted the manslaughter of Mr Shafiq and his plea has been accepted by barristers acting for the Crown. The court has also lifted restrictions imposed at Manchester Crown Court which had earlier banned the Media from using his name and it can now be revealed he is Shazad Akhtar.
The court had heard how the 50-year-old father had rushed to the Burnley park to intervene in a fight involving his son, Umar. He died in the Royal Blackburn Hospital after being stabbed and beaten.
The remaining two defendants - Omar Khalid (19), of Fairfield Drive, Burnley, and Mohammed Shahdab Akhtar (19), of Scott Park Road, Burnley - have had murder charges made against them dropped and instead have pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
The dramatic move follows evidence given yesterday which resulted in discussions with their barristers and brought an abrupt end to the trial this morning.
They have all been remanded in custody and will be sentenced in three weeks.
>>Scuffle broke out a month before killing>>Fighters ended up in Thompson Park boating lake>>Witness describes ridged Rambo-style knife>>'Schoolyard scrap' eventually led to dad's park murder: defence>> 'Why didn't son in park murder case go home with dad?': defence>> Son takes stand in park murder trial>> Dad-of-seven murder trial - first dayThe full article contains 289 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
