Ten men have been sentenced after a December 2021 arson attack in Stoke‑on‑Trent that a court described as a deliberate revenge attack following a daytime street fight. The fire left a 31‑year‑old mother with burns to 65% of her body — she spent two months in a coma and requires lifelong care — and her 13‑year‑old daughter with 15% burns. Sentences across the group total more than 130 years, ranging from suspended terms to multi‑decade prison sentences. Investigators used CCTV, digital evidence and forensics to establish each defendant's role.
Ten Men Joven After 'Revenge' Arson That Left Mother Severely Burned and Daughter Injured
All 10 men sentenced in connection with the December 2021 bar fight and subsequent house fire 'revenge attack' in the U.KCredit: Staffordshire Police
Ten men have been sentenced after a deliberate late‑2021 house fire in Stoke‑on‑Trent that prosecutors and a judge said was a calculated act of revenge. The blaze left a 31‑year‑old woman with catastrophic injuries and her 13‑year‑old daughter badly burned. Together, the group's prison terms now exceed 130 years.
What Happened
Police say the incident began on Dec. 16, 2021, after a daytime street fight in Longton in which Kashif Ahmed was stabbed in the shoulder. Hours later, a group of men arrived at a house on Beverley Drive demanding to see Naveed Hussain, who prosecutors say had been involved in the earlier altercation.
According to investigators, the visitors smashed windows, poured petrol in multiple areas of the property and set the house on fire. A 31‑year‑old woman who had an on‑and‑off relationship with Hussain was struck, set alight and suffered horrific injuries. Her 13‑year‑old daughter, who was at home at the time, escaped by breaking an upstairs window and jumping out.
The mugshots of Lukman Khan, Shakil Uddin and Ali Abbas (top row); the mugshots of Haris Mahmood, Naveed Hussain and Kashif Ahmed (bottom row)Credit: Staffordshire Police
Victims' Injuries and Recovery
The girl sustained burns to 15% of her right arm. Her mother suffered burns to 65% of her body, was placed in a coma for two months and sustained additional trauma including a broken pelvis, fractured ribs and a lacerated liver. Staffordshire Police say the mother was not expected to survive but did, and she continues to require lifelong medical treatment and rehabilitation.
"The fire was started as a deliberate act of revenge which concerned Naveed Hussain," prosecutor Siobhan Collins told the court, noting Hussain's prior connection to the home.
Evidence and Sentences
Investigators used CCTV footage, digital evidence and forensic analysis to map the roles of each defendant. Detective Constable Howard Davies said the combined evidence presented a clear account of individual actions.
Sentences varied by role and convictions: Shakil Uddin was jailed for 34 years after being convicted of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life. Haris Mahmood was sentenced to more than 24 years after admitting two counts of attempted murder and arson with intent to endanger life. Riyadh Iqbal and Lukman Khan received terms totalling more than 12 years for grievous bodily harm with intent and arson with intent to endanger life. Muhammad Sufyaan‑Shah and Tayyeb Majeed were handed 11 years 6 months and 10 years 6 months respectively for grievous bodily harm with intent.
The mugshots of Bilal Ahmed (top left), Muhammad Sufyaan‑Shah (top right), Tayyeb Majeed (bottom left) and Riyadh Iqbal (bottom right)Credit: Staffordshire Police
On the lower end of the scale, Kashif Ahmed was given 48 weeks behind bars, Bilal Ahmed received 15 months' imprisonment suspended for 18 months, and Naveed Hussain was handed a six‑month sentence suspended for 18 months after pleading guilty to violent disorder and possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place.
Judge Rupert Mayo described the scene as "virtually impossible to imagine" and said the attack was "deliberate revenge for the relatively minor injury to Kashif Ahmed."
Police Response
Detective Constable Davies called the investigation "lengthy and complex" and said the sentences reflect the severity of the violence and the risk posed to those inside the home. He also praised the victims' resilience and noted that their ongoing recovery remains a priority for police.
Combined custodial terms for all ten men now exceed 130 years, closing court proceedings in a case described by prosecutors and the judge as a calculated and dangerous act of revenge.
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