Aya Hachem murder: Man convicted of killing Blackburn student

Aya Hachem was studying law at the University of Salford when she was killed

A man has been convicted of murdering student Aya Hachem who was killed in a "bungled" drive-by shooting.

The 19-year-old was mistakenly killed in a feud between two tyre firm owners in Blackburn on 17 May 2020.

Seven men were jailed in 2021 for her murder and a woman was jailed for her manslaughter.

Junior Otway, 42, of Manchester, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by a jury of murder and the attempted murder of intended target Pachah Khan.

Suhayl Suleman, 39, of Shear Brow in Blackburn, who was also on trial at Preston Crown Court for murder and attempted murder, was cleared of both charges.

Otway, of Clitheroe Road, was involved in organising and arranging the shooting which was the culmination of a feud between two rival tyre firms, police said.

Tyre firm boss Feroz Suleman had arranged the execution of Mr Khan, the proprietor of Quickshine Tyres, but the gunman he hired shot dead Ms Hachem instead, the court heard.

She was shot by Zamir Raja who was sitting in the back of a Toyota Avensis being driven by Anthony Ennis, Lancashire Police said.

Raja's first shot hit one of the windows of the tyre firm and the second hit Ms Hachem who happened to be walking on King Street to buy food for her family to eat when they broke their Ramadan fast, police said.

Otway was the link between Ayaz Hussain in Blackburn and "his boys", the gunman Raja from Stretford and driver Ennis from Partington.

Feroz and Raja, who agreed to carrying out the shooting for £1,500, were previously sentenced to life with a minimum term of 34 years.

Accomplices Kashif Manzoor, Hussain, Abubakr Satia, Ennis, and Uthman Satia, were also jailed for life.

Top row L-R: Abubakr Satia, Anthony Ennis, Ayaz Hussain, Feroz Suleman. Bottom row L-R: Kashif Manzoor, Uthman Satia, Zamir Raja and Judy Chapman

Judy Chapman, of Great Harwood, who drove the gunman and driver from Bolton with her boyfriend Satia, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 15 years.

Det Insp Ian Moore said: "Aya Hachem was a young woman whose life - so full of promise - was brutally and tragically cut short.

"Otway played a key role in organising the plot to kill Pachah Khan, the bungled execution of which resulted in Aya's murder, and I would like to thank the jury and the prosecution team for ensuring that he, too, has been convicted along with those found guilty last year."

Aya's family said in a statement after the conviction: "To our dear beautiful angel in heaven we know you are in a better and more beautiful place.

"We are so proud of you and we miss you so much - our lives are difficult without you."

They added: "You will remain in our hearts forever."

Ms Hachem's family were invited to receive the University of Salford law student's degree on what would have been her graduation ceremony.

One Voice Blackburn renamed its Young Person of the Year award to show the town it will "never forget" the inspiring student who did lots of charity work.

Otway is due to be sentenced on 5 May.