Three Asian men have received life sentences for the murder of a black IT worker attack during race riots in the Lozells area of Birmingham last year.

Waqar Ahmed, 26, Azhil Khan, 23, and Afzal Khan, 22, all from the Handsworth area of the city, were told they would each serve a minimum of 25 years in jail for the fatal stabbing of Isiah Young-San during disturbances on October 22.

Sentencing the trio at Birmingham Crown Court, Mr Justice Mackay said the 23-year-old victim had been set upon for no other reason than the colour of his skin.

Mr Justice Mackay said: "The four men (Mr Young-Sam, his brother and two friends) were set upon because they were Afro-Caribbean and for no other reason.

"They had done nothing to these defendants and done nothing to incur or justify hostility.

"What led to the death of Isiah Young-Sam was the colour of his skin."

The judge continued: "(These defendants) were fuelled by the mob violence which they could have resisted, could have turned away from, which they failed to do."

Asking the defendants to stand, Mr Justice Mackay said: "You've been convicted of a most serious offence, the murder of Isiah Young-Sam, a young man with great promise who had done you no harm.

"Your action was racially aggravated and you are also party to the grievous wounding of his companion.

"The sentence for murder is fixed by law and is one of life imprisonment."

The defendants were each jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of a separate charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Locksley Byfield. These jail terms were to run concurrently.

Mr Young-Sam, 23, was stabbed in the heart as he walked through Lozells with his brother and two friends on the evening of October 22.

The group had decided to take a back route to avoid the trouble - which flared after unsubstantiated rumours were spread about a local West Indian girl being gang-raped by Asian men - when they were pursued by the defendants and attacked.

Mr Young-Sam was set upon by a group of up to six men, who appeared from two or three cars wearing hoodies and bandanas, armed with knives and bats and shouting racist abuse.

It took the jury 12 hours to reach its unanimous verdict on all counts.

There was sobbing in the public gallery as the defendants were jailed and shouts of "they're innocent" from family members.
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