Teenager cleared over boy's death in house fire

Nasir Khan, 18, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were alleged to have acted together in deliberately starting a fire or fires at the home of Damian Clough while he was asleep in his bedroom.

But at the end of the prosecution case Khan's barrister Robert Smith QC submitted that there was insufficient evidence for the case against his client to proceed any further.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Treacy told the jury at Bradford Crown Court that having very carefully considered the evidence and relevant legal matters he had concluded that there was insufficient evidence in the case of Khan.

"I have agreed with the submission made to me that in his particular case there is no case to answer," he told the jury.

The judge directed the jury to formally return a not guilty verdict on the manslaughter charge against Khan, of Buxton Street, Keighley, but he warned the jury against letting the decision affect their consideration of the evidence against the 17-year-old, who also denies the manslaughter allegation.

After Khan walked free from court having been discharged by the judge the 17-year-old began giving his evidence on the sixth day of the trial.

He said he had not wanted to go to Damian Clough's home in Kinara Close, Stocksbridge, that night but others in his group had persuaded him. He said the suggestion that it was his idea to go to the house was "a complete lie".

The teenager claimed that Khan became quite angry after making some phone calls and that Khan had been the person who got into the house through a side window and let the four youths in.

The youth said he had gone on the computer in the living room playing music and after there had been some playing fighting the three others said they were leaving.

The teenager said he was pretty scared that they were going to get into trouble because they had got into the house, but he alleged that Khan was drunk and falling on the ground in the garden.

He said the other three left but Khan said he needed to go back into the house.

The teenager claimed he followed Khan back in and saw him set light to a cloth or rag in the kitchen before putting it on the floor and stamping on it.

He said that the fire went out, but he claimed that Khan set fire to the same piece of material again in the living room.

The teenager claimed

that Khan was still in the middle of the living room when he

left but a few minutes later

Khan came running up behind him as he walked down the

road.

The trial continues.