Shop death trail led to Cyprus

By Caroline Gall
BBC News, Birmingham

Colin Salt was trapped in the rubble after the shop blast

A police inquiry into a fatal shop explosion spanned 2,500 miles and saw more than 60 witnesses travel to Cyprus to give evidence.

But after more than six years Turkish Cypriot Kemal Kemalzade has been jailed for setting fire to his brother and sister-in-law's shop to try to claim the insurance.

The fire he laid sparked a gas explosion which destroyed Shukri's News, in Chell Heath Road, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in December 2000.

Colin Salt, who lived in a flat above the shop was trapped in the rubble. The 47-year-old suffered 60% burns and died 18 days later.

Detectives from Staffordshire pursued 39-year-old Kemalzade to Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus where he had fled.

All I can say is they are very evil people Rita Myatt, Colin Salt's mother

He thought he could escape justice as the UK government does not recognise the state and there are no extradition treaties between the two.

But despite this the Turkish authorities agreed to take on the case against their countryman.

The subsequent inquiry saw Turkish detectives travel to Stoke-on-Trent to interview witnesses and gather evidence.

Kemal Kemalzade fled to Cyprus after the blast

Kemalzade was charged with manslaughter, arson, conspiracy to commit arson and conspiracy to defraud. He was jailed for 10 years on Wednesday for the crimes.

His brother Cinar and sister-in-law Sibel had previously been jailed for 11 years in the UK for their part in the manslaughter.

Mr Salt's mother Rita Myatt said: "When I think about what they had done. All I can say is they are very evil people. That they could do that to a family, you know, just for greed."

For the trial on the Mediterranean island, debris from the explosion - including windows, doors and a shop sign - was shipped over from Britain and meticulously carried into the court before the three judges presiding over the case.

'Sends a message'

The dozens of witnesses flew to Larnaca, were driven to Nicosia then had to cross the UN-controlled buffer zone called the "Green Line" which divides the Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

They would finally end up at the court buildings in the north of the island - at least a day's travel either side of their court appearance.

Colin Salt has now got the justice he deserved, his family said

But for Colin Salt's family it has all been worthwhile.

His sister Liz Wilkinson said: "At the end of the day Colin has got justice and it wasn't for us it was for Colin. He deserved that justice."

And the detective from Staffordshire who began the inquiry to bring Kemalzade to justice, said it was a warning to other would-be criminals.

Det Insp Mark Hurst said: "I'm really pleased this man has not evaded justice and it should send a message to anyone else who is thinking they can run to northern Cyprus to evade justice that is not the case."