Eight years for girl's fire death

Alisha died in hospital a day after the fire

An 18-year-old man has been sentenced to eight years in a young offender's institution for the death of a six-year-old girl in a fire.

Daryll Tuzzio of Birmingham was cleared of murder, but convicted of manslaughter and arson earlier. He will spend half the sentence on licence.

Alisha Begum died in an arson attack at her family home in Handsworth.

The attack was an intended "honour killing", over a relationship between Alisha's elder brother and a girl.

Tuzzio, of Sandringham Road, Perry Barr, bought the petrol that was used in the attack on Alisha's home.

Suspect missing

Sentencing him, Mr Justice Field said he would spend four years at a young offenders' institute and the remainder of his sentence on licence.

Tuzzio's co-defendant Ahmed Hussain, 26, of Quinton Road West, Harborne, was cleared of one charge of murder, nine of attempted murder and one of arson with intent to endanger life.

It was his sister who was involved in the relationship with Alisha's brother.

Police say they still want to trace two other men who they believe fled from the UK following the arson attack.

West Midlands detectives are working closely with their counterparts in Bangladesh and are flying there to help with the search.

'Threatening phone call'

The trial jury was told Alisha's brother Abdul Hamid, 21, had started a relationship with Mr Hussain's 15-year-old sister Meherun Khanum.

Prosecutor Adrian Redgrave said her family disapproved.

Mr Hamid had a threatening phone call 24 hours before the fire in Bayswater Road.

Then, shortly before midnight on 10 March a masked figure burst through the front door and sprayed petrol in the hallway before lighting a match.

The blaze spread up the stairs and family members had to jump from an upstairs window, Mr Redgrave said.

Alisha, the youngest of 12 children in the Bangladeshi family and who was in her bunk bed, was found by firefighters. She died at Birmingham Children's Hospital the following day.