Street attack dad, 21, dies

Shahbaz Arshad, 21, of Woodfield Terrace, Brierfield, died early today at Royal Preston Hospital.

He had been fighting for his life after suffering serious head injuries when he was assaulted in a back street between Halifax Road and Hartington Street, Brierfield, on February 19. He underwent two operations to remove clots from his brain.

Shahbaz, whose wife Shukria is eight months pregnant with their second child, was on his way home from the nearby 147 Breakers Snooker Club when the incident took place.

Today his 18-year-old sister Saimah said: "We got a phone call from the hospital saying his condition was deteriorating. By the time we got there he had gone.

"He was a lovely person and now he's gone. There's nothing more we can say."

Friends and family gathered at Shahbaz's home today to grieve.

Shahbaz, who had a two-year-old daughter Maria, was a former pupil at Mansfield High School, Brierfield, and had worked at Express Gifts, Nelson, although he was unemployed at the time of the attack.

His family said he was a popular person who got on with people of all ages.

Wasim Raza, 22, of Chapelhouse Road, Nelson, and Imran Bashir, also 22, of Talbot Street, Burnley, have appeared in court charged with causing Shahbaz Arshad grievous bodily harm. A third man, Saleem Raza, 20, of Railway Street, Nelson, has also appeared in court in connection with the investigation into the attack. He was charged with concealing a vehicle with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of an alleged offender.

Det Chief Insp Irene Wilson said: "It is quite possible further charges will be brought but we will have to wait for the results from the post mortem examination which will be carried out either today or tomorrow. We are still continuing with our investigations."

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