Life sentence for boast murderer

Bilal Bhatti must spend at least 18 years behind bars

A man who boasted he was "cool" after stabbing a father who was protecting his son has been jailed for life.

Bilal Bhatti, 21, plunged a hunting knife into the chest of Mohammed Shafiq, 50, at Thompson Park in Burnley, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Mr Shafiq was trying to stop a fight between his son, Umar, 18, and Shahdab Akhtar, 19, when he was stabbed.

Bhatti pleaded guilty to murder at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years jail before parole.

Shazad Akhtar, 17, was sentenced to six years for manslaughter, his elder brother Shahdab Akhtar was given six years for violent disorder and a separate assault, and Omar Khalid, 19, received three years for violent disorder.

Your boast is the most shocking remark and one of the most deplorable ever recorded in a criminal court Mr Justice Richard Henriques QC

The court heard that Mr Shafiq's son was involved in a long-running dispute with Shahdab Akhtar, and that six months before the killing in March he had reported him to police for assault.

Mr Shafiq, from Nelson, had learned about the fight and phoned police 15 minutes before he was murdered, but the call handler failed to recognise the "seriousness of the situation".

A report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) concluded that the female employee of Lancashire Constabulary who took the call was guilty of "individual failings".

The call lasted seven minutes and 30 seconds and concluded with Mr Shafiq warning that he was going to the park.

The court was told he set off to meet his son to try to resolve the "ongoing problem" without resorting to violence.

When Mr Shafiq got to the park, Shazad Akhtar hit him over the head with an iron bar, wielding it with both hands like a baseball bat, the court heard.

Mohammed Raja Shafiq went to the park to protect his son, the court heard

The impact fractured Mr Shafiq's skull, and then Bhatti stabbed his defenceless victim with a knife.

The 50-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Moments after the stabbing, Bhatti told friends: "I've just stabbed someone, aren't I cool?"

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Richard Henriques QC said: "Your boast is the most shocking remark and one of the most deplorable ever recorded in a criminal court.

"It demonstrates you enjoy violence and you are proud of your conduct.

"You stabbed a man immediately after he had been struck with an iron bar, fracturing his skull. He was especially vulnerable and quite without defence.

"You have demonstrated a thoroughly callous attitude devoid of remorse."

Bhatti, of Holcombe Drive, Burnley, Shazad and Shahdab Akhtar, of Scott Park Road, Burnley, and Khalid, of Fairfield Drive, Burnley, changed their pleas to guilty five days into their trial earlier this month.

'Ruined lives'

Both Bhatti and Shahdab Akhtar were on bail when the murder took place.

Both Akhtar brothers had already been convicted of affray after attacking another man with bars and sticks, an assault with "many similarities" to the murder, the court heard.

Bhatti was on police bail for public order offences.

The victim's son, Umar, said he was disappointed with the sentences.

"They are just like animals. They have shown no remorse.

"We are going to live our lives without our father. They are going to come out and carry on their lives. Ours have been ruined.

"I'm really disappointed they never got the right sentences.

"I have lost complete confidence in the police. If they had looked at the situation then my father would be alive today."

Det Insp Peter Broome said: "This was an offence of the utmost brutality, compounded by Bilal Bhatti's boasting."

The Shafiq family have since left Nelson, for fear of repercussions, to live at an undisclosed location in the south of England.