Ten men have been jailed for a combined 130 years following a house fire and violent disorder in Stoke-on-Trent. Staffordshire Police confirmed the sentences followed an 11-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court, which concluded earlier this year. ### On December 16, 2021, a fight broke out involving four men, during which one men was stabbed. After the altercation, a group of men then went to a house on Beverley Drive, Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent, demanding to speak to Naveed Hussain, who was involved in the fight. ### TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say ### The men smashed the downstairs windows and poured petrol into the hallway and outside the living room window. A 31‑year‑old woman inside the property was struck on the head and set alight. She suffered life-threatening injuries but survived, remaining in a coma for over two months and continues to receive lifelong medical treatment due to her injuries. A 13‑year‑old girl also suffered burns to her right arm. ### ### ### To escape the flames, both victims smashed an upstairs window and jumped from the bedroom. The woman sustained a broken pelvis, broken ribs and a lacerated liver, and later had to relearn how to walk. Both were taken to specialist hospitals in Birmingham. Detective Constable Howard Davies, from our Major Investigations Department, said: “These sentences mark the conclusion of a lengthy and complex investigation into an extremely serious and violent series of events that left a mother with life‑changing injuries. “The level of violence displayed that evening was truly shocking, culminating in a deliberate and reckless act that put lives at grave risk. ### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: * Vandals deface 4,500-year-old ancient standing stones in 'heritage crime' * Man drove tractor into a house after homeowner desecrated his father and brother's grave * Alleged rapists and paedophiles released by Labour to ease prison overcrowding crisis ### ### ### “Thanks to the dedication of our investigation team, including extensive CCTV analysis, digital enquiries and specialist forensic work, we were able to build a clear picture of the roles played by those involved and present compelling evidence before the court. “I want to acknowledge the incredible strength and resilience shown by the victims, who have endured unimaginable physical and emotional trauma. “My thoughts remain firmly with them as they continue their recovery. “We hope these sentences send a strong message that this kind of violence will not be tolerated, and that those responsible will be held to account.” ### ### The 10 men were charged as follows: * Shakil Uddin, 23, of Oldham, was sentenced to 34 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of one count of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life. * Ali Abbas, 23, of Normacot, Stoke‑on‑Trent, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment after admitting two counts of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life * Haris Mahmood, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to 24 years-and-nine-months’ imprisonment after admitting two counts of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life * Riyadh Iqbal, 23, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of Section 18 – grievous bodily harm with intent and arson with intent to endanger life. * Lukman Khan, 25, of Normacot, Stoke‑on‑Trent, was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of Section 18 – grievous bodily harm with intent and arson with intent to endanger life * Muhammad Sufyaan‑Shah, 25, of Oldham, was sentenced to 11-and-a-half-years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of Section 18 – grievous bodily harm with intent * Tayyeb Majeed, 24, of Longton, Stoke‑on‑Trent, was sentenced to ten-and-a-half-years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of Section 18 – grievous bodily harm with intent * Kashif Ahmed, 26, of Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed for 48 weeks after pleading guilty to violent disorder * Naveed Hussain, 32, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months after pleading guilty to violent disorder and possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place * Bilal Ahmed, 27, of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to violent disorder. ### ** ** ** ** **Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**

A benefits cheat from Stoke-on-Trent who swindled £29,000 in Universal Credit has managed to avoid jail. Jordan Emery of Winchester Avenue, Bentilee, dishonestly failed to notify a change of circumstances which affected his entitlement to Universal Credit. ### The dad lawfully claimed Universal Credit in March 2019 and, in July 2020, updated his claim to state that his two children had moved into his home. North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard how the Universal Credit team requested additional information to support his claim in September 2020. ### TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say ### Emery, 33, uploaded a letter from Stoke-on-Trent City Council confirming the children were in his care, reports The Sentinel. However, in January 2024 the National Benefit Fraud hotline received an anonymous tip-off that both children had not been living there since January 2021. Prosecutor Alicia Collins told the court: "The defendant received an overpayment of Universal Credit, which he was not entitled to between January 13, 2021, and May 12, 2025. "The total amount of that claim was £29,944.87. The claim was not fraudulent from the outset." ### ### Paige Morgan, mitigating, said Emery, who has no relevant previous convictions, would have been entitled to some benefits. She told the court: "There was a breakdown in the relationship. "The children were initially in his care. He accepts he should have notified them of his up-to-date position, but he did not. "He was living quite a chaotic lifestyle at that point. He accepts he should have notified them." ### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS * Universal Credit claims SOAR as one in five Britons on DWP benefit, research claims * DWP alert: Benefit cheats could face softer sanctions under Labour reforms * PIP claims SOAR as number of Britons on DWP sickness benefits hits record high ### ### She continued: "He was entitled to a benefit. It was the incorrect one he claimed for. "It is not the case he was not entitled to benefits. He was not living a lavish lifestyle. "He was homeless during that time. He is now residing with his mother. He is no longer with his ex-partner. He has not committed any offences since." Emery pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances affecting his entitlement to benefits between January 13, 2021, and May 12, 2025. Magistrates at the Newcastle-under-Lyme court sentenced Emery to an 18-month community order with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay £400 in costs and a £114 surcharge. ### **Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**

Local authorities are looking at ways to crackdown on flags placed on public buildings and lamposts.

The council takes action following "nuisance and distress" to residents in Bentilee.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council are taking steps to secure high quality early years and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision for families in the city. Bentilee Nursery School has served its community for many years, but due to the requirement to operate as a school, pupil numbers and rising costs mean it could face a £185,710 deficit this year. Projections show this could increase to more than £340,000 by 2027/28 if no action is taken. The city council is therefore proposing a new way of delivering services that keeps early years support in the community while making it more sustainable for the future. The proposals aim to maintain local access to early education while strengthening support for children with additional needs. ## Local news is broken. Help us fix it in Staffordshire. We’re putting people before advertisers. Join our community-led mission to keep ****Staffordshire**** informed by signing up for our ****free Wednesday newsletter.**** Want to go further? Support our non-profit work, and we’ll deliver our ****monthly printed lifestyle magazine**** straight to your front door. Join the Mission Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. ****Sign Up For Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.**** Support independent local journalism by selecting ****The Staffordshire Signal**** as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google. Help us stay front-and-centre in your news feed. There are plans to expand specialist support by creating a dedicated SEND nursery for children up to the age of five on the existing Bentilee site. The proposal is that it would be run by either a Private, Voluntary or Independent Early Years Provider or an Academy Trust and would significantly increase nursery place capacity in the city for children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). Under the plans, nursery place capacity would be available at other providers in the area, notably Maple Court Academy and Eaton Park within Alpha Academies Trust, where nearly 60 percent of children attending Bentilee Nursery School move on to one of these two schools for primary education. The proposals come as Bentilee and Ubberley are among three communities in Stoke-on-Trent selected to take part in the government’s Pride in Place programme, with more than £20 million to be invested over the next decade in community-led regeneration, including opportunities for young people. > "We are committed to protecting the future of high-quality early years provision in Bentilee. Every child deserves the best start in life, and these proposals will ensure early services will continue to be delivered in the community, whilst specialist SEND provision at nursery level is increased, this will mean all children get the right support they need to thrive." — **Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough** , cabinet member for children’s services The council’s cabinet will consider launching a full statutory consultation for the community to have their say. No final decisions have been made, and a final recommendation will be brought to Cabinet in July once all responses have been reviewed. #### Enjoyed this story? As a Community Interest Company, we reinvest every penny into Staffordshire journalism. Your tips help us keep our reporting "Open Access" and free for everyone. Support the Mission (Tip Jar) Every contribution stays in Staffordshire. Thank you for being part of the journey. Explore the heart of our county Use the interactive map above to discover local landmarks, heritage sites, and community-vetted spots. Every interaction helps support **The Staffordshire Signal’s** mission to keep local news free and independent.

Ten men are facing imprisonment after a mother and daughter sustained horrific burns when their house was petrol-bombed in a revenge arson attack. A 31-year-old woman and a 13-year-old girl were forced to leap from an upstairs window after sustaining severe injuries as their home was set ablaze in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. ### Emergency services were summoned to Beverley Drive, in the Bentilee area of the city, after a gang of men doused the property with petrol and ignited it. The mother, who was also struck on the head as well as being set alight, sustained 65 per cent burns and was left in a coma for two months. ### TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say ### She survived, despite not being expected to, but was left with life-changing injuries which require ongoing medical treatment. The teenage girl sustained 15 per cent burns to her right arm and right leg following the horror blaze on December 16 2021. Ten men have now been convicted in connection with the attack following an 11-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court. Shakil Uddin, 23, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was found guilty of attempted murder and arson with intent on Friday. ### ### ### Lukman Khan, 24, and Riyadh Iqbal, 23, both of Normacot, Stoke-on-Trent, were both found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and arson with intent. Muhammad Sufyaan-Shah, 25, of HMP Hindley, Wigan, and Tayyeb Majeed, 23, of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, were convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent. Previously, Ali Abbas, 22, and Haris Mahmood, 21, both from Normacot, admitted to two counts of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life. Naveed Hussain, 32, from Longton, confessed to violent disorder and possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place in December of the previous year. ### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS * Thief who snatched handbag in London pub stunned after finding £2m Fabergé egg inside * Two students jailed after blowing up sheep with fireworks in brutal attack * Five people killed after mass stabbing on quiet US residential street as suspect shot dead by police ### Kashif Ahmed, 25, from Stoke-on-Trent, Bilal Ahmed, 26, from Normacot, and Ali Abbas, 22 from Normacot, had earlier pleaded guilty to violent disorder. The court was informed that around 4pm on December 16 2021, Naveed Hussain, Bilal Ahmed, Kashif Ahmed and Ali Abbas engaged in a brawl on Kildare Street, Longton. Kashif Ahmed sustained a stab wound to his shoulder and sought medical attention at a hospital. At 10.55pm on the same day, several men approached the house on Beverley Drive demanding to converse with Naveed Hussain. ### ### ### The men shattered the ground floor windows and doused petrol in the hallway near the front door and outside close to the living room window. To evade, the woman and the girl broke the upstairs bedroom window and leapt out, with the woman also suffering a fractured pelvis, broken ribs and a lacerated liver from the fall and had to relearn how to walk. Staffordshire Police stated that the case necessitated extensive work to assemble CCTV, digital evidence and specialist material to bring each defendant to justice. Detective Constable Howard Davies, from the force's Major Investigations Department, said: "This was a very detailed and thorough investigation. We left no stone unturned to examine the circumstances of this case. ### ### "This was a horrific ordeal for a mother to be set on fire in her own home in front of her daughter by a number of men seeking revenge. "Our investigation reflects the sustained commitment of officers and partners to securing justice for the victims and ensuring those involved are held fully accountable." Assistant Chief Fire Officer Michelle Hickmott, of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Following a thorough investigation working alongside our police colleagues, we are extremely pleased with the outcome of this case. "Our investigation teams use their extensive skills and knowledge to identify when a fire has been started deliberately and then assist the investigation further to bring arsonists to justice. "We are continually proud of the way our fire investigation colleagues work in collaboration with police to achieve these results." The men have all been remanded in custody and are due to be sentenced, at a date, time and court yet to be fixed. ### **Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **

A mother and her 13-year-old daughter were forced to jump from an upstairs window after their home on Beverley Drive in Bentilee was petrol-bombed in a revenge attack in December 2021

Today, we headed out to support one of Stoke-on-Trent’s most treasured traditions: the 47th Star Bikers Charity Toy Run. We began at the Britannia Stadium before heading over to Bentilee to watch the huge procession ride past, and I honestly don’t think I have ever seen as many bikes take part. The turnout was incredible, and the atmosphere was amazing! For anyone who doesn’t know the history, the Star Bikers Toy Run is a Stoke-on-Trent institution. The very first ride took place on 17 December 1977, organised by two groups based at the Star Inn on Marsh Street in Hanley, the Harley Riders and the Star Bikers. Around 200 bikes set off that day to deliver toys to children at Penkhull Homes. It is believed to be the first event of its kind in the UK. From those humble beginnings, the Toy Run and the Egg Run have become two of the city’s most loved annual events, now attracting thousands of bikes and drawing national attention. Over the years, the route has changed many times, ranging from Hanley Forest Park to Chatterley Whitfield, and finishing at legendary venues such as the Queens Theatre, Trentham Gardens Ballroom, and now Kings Hall. What has never changed is the purpose: to collect toys and Easter eggs for underprivileged children across Stoke on Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme, to support children’s charities and to promote motorcycle awareness and safety. The event simply wouldn’t exist without the support of the biking community, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Staffordshire Police, local shops and the public. Thanks to everyone involved, thousands of children have received toys, equipment, holidays and even medical help over the years. If you would like to learn more about the Star Bikers and the history of the Toy Run, you can visit their website at www.starbikers.co.uk If you enjoy my videos and want to support my work in local history, photography and community storytelling, you can join me on Patreon. Every subscription helps me keep creating more content across Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theredhairedstokie

An air ambulance has landed and police are at the scene in Bentilee - a section of Dividy Road has been closed between two junctions