Seven men are found guilty of the murder of law student Aya Hachem

Seven men are found guilty of the murder of law student Aya Hachem, 19, who was gunned down as she shopped for groceries in botched drive-by execution

• Aya Hachem was shot in the chest by a gunman in Blackburn on May 17 last year
• It was previously heard that the shooting was the result of a long-running feud
• The 19-year-old was described as being ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’ 

Seven men have been found guilty of the murder of law student Aya Hachem who was gunned down as she shopped for groceries in a botched drive-by execution.

The 19-year-old was shot in the chest by a gunman in a passing car near her home in Blackburn, Lancashire, on May 17 last year.  

It was previously heard that the shooting was the result of a long-running feud between the owners of two rival tyre companies and that Ms Hachem was ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’. 

Feroz Suleman, 40, Kashif Manzoor, 26, Ayaz Hussain, 35, Abubakr Satia, 32, all from Blackburn, Zamir Raja, 33, of Stretford, Anthony Ennis, 31, of Partington, Uthman Satia, 29, of Great Harwood, have today been found guilty of murdering the teenager.

Uthman Satia’s girlfriend Judy Chapman, 26, of Great Harwood, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

All seven men were also convicted of the attempted murder of Pachah Khan who had been the intended target of the hit. 

Chapman was acquitted of the attempted murder of Mr Khan. 

Seven people have been found guilty of the murder of law student Aya Hachem (left and right) who was gunned down as she shopped for groceries in botched drive-by execution 

The shooting was the culmination of a long-running dispute between Suleman, the owner of RI Tyres, and Mr Khan, the owner of Quickshine Tyres, after the latter began to sell tyres having previously only washed cars.  

Suleman arranged the execution of his rival businessman in broad daylight. 

A Toyota Avensis driven by Ennis with hitman Raja on board drove past Quickshine Tyres on three occasions shortly before the fatal fourth journey.

Footage from CCTV cameras captured Suleman stood outside his premises next door at RI Tyres with a ‘ringside seat’ to the shooting.

The first shot hit the front window of Quickshine and the second was let off as Lebanese-born Ms Hachem walked by – hitting her rather than the intended target. 

Ms Hachem, a second year student at the University of Salford, died in hospital a short time later having suffered an ‘irreversible’ cardiac arrest.  

The shooting was the culmination of a long-running dispute between Suleman, the owner of RI Tyres, and Mr Khan, the owner of Quickshine Tyres, after the latter began to sell tyres having previously only washed cars. Pictured: Police at the scene previously 

Her distraught parents had previously described Ms Hachem, who was the eldest of four siblings, as the ‘most loyal devoted daughter’ who enjoyed spending time with her family and dreamed of becoming a solicitor. 

On Tuesday, a jury at Preston Crown Court took less than four hours to find Suleman guilty of murder and the attempted murder of Mr Khan.

Raja and Ennis were also convicted of murder and attempted murder as were other accomplices Manzoor, Hussain, Abubakr Satia and his brother Uthman Satia.

Uthman Satia’s girlfriend Judy Chapman was cleared of murder and attempted murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

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