Two men appear in court charged with drive-by murder of law student Aya Hachem in Blackburn

Two men have appeared in court charged with the murder of teenager Aya Hachem who was gunned down in a drive-by shooting.

The 19-year-old student died after she was struck by a stray bullet shot from a passing car in Blackburn on 17 May 2020.

She had been walking to buy food for her family to eat when they broke their Ramadan fast that evening.

Eight people have so far been jailed for a total of more than 200 years for their involvement in her murder, and the attempted murder of Pacha Khan, the intended target of the shooting.

Now, following a review of the evidence, two more men, who were interviewed in the early stages of the investigation, have been arrested and charged.

Suhayl Suleman, 37, of Shear Brow, Blackburn and Lewis Otway, 41, of Clitheroe Road, Manchester are charged with the murder of Aya, and the attempted murder of Pacha Khan.

Both men appeared before Preston Crown Court on Friday, 28 January, where neither defendant entered a plea to either of the charges.

They will return to court on 9 May 2022 for a plea and trial preparation hearing, when it is anticipated they will enter their pleas.

The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham, set a date for the pair to stand trial.

The case will take place at Preston Crown Court on 28 July 2022 and is expected to last up to five weeks.

Neither defendant made an application for bail and the pair were remanded in custody until they return to court in May.

Following the sentencing of the seven men and one woman in 2021 Aya's brother, Ibrahim Hachem, says he was "glad" other people will be safe now his sister's killers are in jail.