Jahan found guilty of assault - but escapes jail sentence

The bereaved father who publicly appealed for calm hours after his son was killed in last summer's riots has been found guilty of assaulting a factory worker.

Tariq Jahan, who is 46, was found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm following a three-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

He was found not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Jurors heard he grabbed 34-year-old Sajjid Ali by the throat before punching him to the ground after the pair got into an argument in Handsworth, Birmingham, on July 6 last year.

The attack happened a month before Jahan won national acclaim for an impassioned appeal for peace after his 21-year-old son Haroon was killed during disorder in the Winson Green area of Birmingham.

The judge gave Jahan a 12-month suspended sentence, but was ordered to do 100 hours of community service. He will also have to pay £1,000 in costs to his victim Sajjad Ali.

The judge said he suspended the sentence because of Jahan's "exceptional circumstances". He added that Jahan's actions last August prevented serious public disorder in Birmingham, which had been a "genuine public service".