A MAN accused of violent disorder during the Burnley riots last year was released after a police interview to avoid "unnecessary distress", a court was told.

Asif Khan, 24, of Francis Street, Burnley, was bailed by Detective Constable Neil Querk as the hunt for video evidence against the accused went on.

He was the only one of three other men and two teenagers charged in connection with the weekend violence not to be charged immediately after a police interview.

In letting the accused go free on bail -- and failing to make a written statement identifying Khan after the interview -- the defence at Preston Crown Court insisted that DC Querk could not have been sure of Khan's identity.

But the police officer said he was "happy" the video footage he showed in interview with Khan in August identified him.

DC Querk said he and a colleague had made the decision to bail the accused. "He was not charged that evening for two reasons" he said. "First there were video tapes coming into the inquiry all the time and we felt at that time that regarding Mr Khan, there may have been other video tapes that would assist with the inquiry.

"The other reason was that because of the nature of the inquiry we thought that if we had charged him it might have been unnecessary and we did not want to cause any unnecessary distress.

DC Querk continued: "I was happy that Mr Khan was in the video that I saw."

Patrick Cassidy, defending, then insisted that no other accused was released after interview. He said: "Nobody else in this trial had to wait to be charged after interview, did they?" and DC Querk replied "No".

Khan, Mohammed Bashir, 22, of Forest Street, Burnley; Mohammed Nawaz, 35, of Lord Street, Brierfield; Abdul Rahim Kayani, 18, of Brougham Street, Burnley; Tariq Saddique, 28, of Azalea Road, Blackburn, and a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, also all deny causing violent disorder on several streets bordering Burnley's Asian community on June 24, 2001.

(Proceeding)