An angry mob of up to 50 people stormed the family home of a child murderer armed with a knife, a hockey stick and a machete-type weapon, a court was told.

Oxford Crown Court yesterday heard the gang of between 15 and 50 people, including relatives of the dead children, staked out the home of child-killer Haroon Sharif in Morrell Avenue, Oxford, in July last year.

Haroon Sharif was one of five men later given life sentences for the murder of Anum Khan, nine, and her brother Majid, 15. The two children were killed in an arson attack on their home in Magdalen Road, Oxford, on August 26, 1997. Barnaby Evans, prosecuting, said Haroon's family, including young children, hid in terror from the mob, who shouted "we'll kill you" and other abuse broke in and trashed two downstairs rooms and Haroon's car.

He said that on July 19 members and friends of the Khan family had held a cricket tournament and procession through Cowley in memory of the dead children. Some people had also gone to the Khan house for a presentation to Mehfooz Khan, the children's mother. Mr Evans added: "Some, or all of them, went a little further and made their way to the home of the Sharif family. It is quite apparent that some of them had in mind more than just a peaceful demonstration because they were armed with weapons."

Sajid Nasib, 24, of Iffley Road, Oxford, Nazmeen Khan, 21 of Magdalen Road, Oxford, Ashfaq Mohammed, 19 of Golden Road, Cowley, and Amjed Mohammed, 19 of Randolph Street, Oxford, all deny violent disorder and aggravated burglary. The trial 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 after providing a false alibi for Haroon. They are due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.

Story date: Wednesday 24 November

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