The sister of two children murdered in an arson attack told a court she was so grief-stricken she attempted suicide "a few times".

Nazmeen Khan, 21, was speaking at a court hearing into allegations she was one of a mob who stormed the family home of Haroon Sharif, one of five men later convicted of the murders.

Anum Khan, nine, and her brother Majid, 15, were killed in an arson attack on their home in Magdalen Road, Oxford, on August 26, 1997.

Nazmeen Khan, of Magdalen Road, Sajid Nasib, 24, of Iffley Road, Oxford, and Amjed Mohammed, 19, of Randolph Street, Oxford, all deny violent disorder relating to an attack on the Sharif home last July. At Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Khan told of the devastating effect the murder had wreaked on her and her family. Tony McGeorge, defending, said she had made a suicide bid some days prior to the incident at the Sharif house.

Nazmeen Khan said: "There had been a few times I tried. I can't handle it. I sometimes think I have got nothing to live for. I was on sleeping tablets and anti-depressant tablets. We have all been affected.

"My mum is out of it totally - she is on sleeping and anti-depressant tablets. She won't go out at all - I have to do everything for her." Judge Mary-Jane Mowat has already directed the jury to acquit Ashfaq Mohammed, 19, of Golden Road, Cowley, Oxford, of violent disorder on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

A second charge of aggravated burglary has also been withdrawn for all four defendants.

It is alleged last July the three defendants were part of a gang who went to the Sharif's home at around 10.30pm armed with weapons and wrecked the downstairs rooms and a car outside while shouting threats.

Khan claims she was at work in Blockbusters Video, Cowley Road, Oxford, at the time, although time sheets showed she had not clocked in or out. Other records show she did not claim wages for that night. She said since the murder and the convictions the Sharif family had constantly harassed her, although she wanted nothing to do with them.

Co-worker Jabad Uddin told the court Khan had arrived at work that night at about 10pm and they had all left together at about midnight.

No evidence was called on behalf of Amjed Mohammed and Sajid Nasib but the court heard they both denied being at the house. The case continues.

After the murder case, Haroon's mother, Parveen Sharif, and three relatives - Sadaf, Asfa and Saimah Sharif - were convicted of perverting the course of justice. They are awaiting sentence.

Story date: Friday 03 December

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