A TWO-MONTH trial at Birmingham Crown Court in 1998 saw a jury convict five men for the murders of Anum and Majid Khan.

The case heard the fire was set in a revenge attack amid a feud. Six people were charged and denied the murders – Alan Swanton and Thomas Liedl, brothers Mohammed and Haq Nawaz, their cousin Haroon Sharif, and Fiaz Munshi’s sister Riaz.

The jury found the blaze was started by Swanton and Liedl on the orders of the Nawaz brothers and Sharif.

All five were given life sentences. Jurors could not reach a decision on Riaz Munshi, formerly of Oxford.

But she was later convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 12 years. In 2007, a High Court judge ruled Liedl, Swanton, and the Nawaz brothers, must serve a total of at least 69 years before they can seek parole.

Mohammed Nawaz, of Ridge Road, Letchworth, has to serve 17 years and his brother Haq, also of Ridge Road, will serve 22.

Swanton, of Southern Way, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, and Liedl, of Birdshill, Letchworth, both got 15-year tariffs.

The Ministry of Justice last night said it would not confirm if the prisoners had been released, as it did not comment on individual cases.

Sharif’s mother, Parveen, and three relatives – Sadaf, Asfa and Saimah Sharif – were all found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice for providing an alibi for him.