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Killed for cash - Mr Hussain
Killer gets life
28/ 7/2003
AN Oldham man has been jailed for life for murdering taxi driver
Israr Hussain last Christmas.
The jury at Manchester Crown Court took just under nine hours to
find Paul Craig, aged 47 of Redpike Walk Higginshaw guilty of
murder.
Father of six, Mr Hussain died from a stab wound to the neck after
he was attacked in his taxi outside the Red Lion pub in High Street
in Lees in the early hours of Saturday 28 December.
Speaking after the sentencing Mr Hussain's brother Ibrar, aged 48
and Mr Hussain's eldest son Safraz, 22 said: "This result is not
going to bring Israr back, but it is some relief to the family to
know that his killer is behind bars.
"It is difficult to understand what we have been through, but we
have helped and supported each other though these difficult
times.
"We would also like to thank the police and the people of Oldham
who have given us a great deal of support. We are still trying to
come to terms with what happened, and it is going to take along
time if ever before we can do that."
The court heard how on Friday 27 December 2002 Craig who had no
money decided he would have to commit robbery and decided to target
a taxi driver, calculating they would have a lot of money over the
Christmas period.
Craig waited until the early hours of Saturday 28 December and
changed into smart clothes so he wouldn't look out of place. As he
left he picked up a kitchen knife which he had earlier sharpened
and placed it in his pocket.
He went to A1 Euro Cars in Yorkshire Street where he asked to go to
Lees and got into a taxi, driven by Mr Hussain.
When they arrived outside the Red Lion pub on High Street, Craig
says he told Mr Hussain he only had a £20 note to pay a four pound
fare in order to find out where Mr Hussain kept his money.
Craig then claimed Mr Hussain hit him in the mouth with the
microphone splitting his lips and cracked his false teeth.
He said Mr Hussain dropped the microphone and as he went to pick it
up, Craig moved forward with the knife to reinforce the threat. He
claimed Mr Hussain saw the knife and moved to deflect it, which
then pushed the knife into his neck, severing an artery.
Craig claimed Mr Hussain got out of the taxi and he had offered to
help but Mr Hussain waved him off and so he left the scene. The
knife was found four days later 150 yards from the scene by an
eight-year-old boy.
Craig claimed he did not hand himself in immediately because he had
family affairs to sort out. He claimed he rang Crimestoppers but no
record of the calls have been found. Craig handed himself into the
police station on 3 January after police had been to his house and
found blood stained clothes.
A man who attempted to save Mr Hussain is to be put forward by
police for an award in recognition of his humane actions. Stuart
Pumbley and his girlfriend Melanie Fraser were walking a friend
when they discovered Mr Hussain collapsed on the floor moments
after the attack. Stuart gave him first aid whilst an ambulance
arrived.
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