Pair deny Oldham riot charges

Two men have gone on trial charged with taking part in the disturbances which lasted for three evenings in Oldham, Greater Manchester last year.

Noor Miah, 21, and Faruq Harun, 43, deny rioting in the former mill town in May.

The jury has been shown police video and television news footage of groups of youths building burning barricades and throwing bricks and petrol bombs at police officers.

Mr Harun, from Tilbury Street, Coldhurst, may call Labour MP for Oldham West and Royton, Michael Meacher, as one of his defence witnesses.

Rioting went on for three nights in Oldham

Both Mr Harun and Mr Miah, from Clarkwell Close in Westwood, deny one count of rioting, while Mr Harun also denies one charge of throwing a bomb and another charge of possessing a petrol bomb.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Mukhtar Hussain, QC, told the court both men were involved in rioting in the Westwood area of Oldham on the night of 27 May 2001.

Mr Hussain said that among the crowds caught on camera was Mr Harun and an unidentified man preparing and throwing a petrol bomb at shielded police officers.

Mr Hussain told the jury that they would hear a police dog handler say he chased Mr Miah after seeing him throw missiles at fellow officers.

But Mr Miah has told police he got caught up in the crowds when he came out of his house to see what was going on.

Mr Harun has said police officers had assaulted him during his arrest, although Mr Hussain said officers were trying to free him from the jaws of a police dog.

The case continues.