Death of Blackburn student to be covered on Channel 5 documentary

A recent Channel 5 documentary covered one of Lancashire Police’s highest profile murder investigations.

‘Murder Scene: The Incident Room’ will cover Operation Colindale, the murder of Aya Hachem (pictured above) aired on Wednesday night.

Aya, 19 was shot and killed in Blackburn in May 2020 after being caught in a crossfire due to a feud between two tyre firm owners in the town.

The programme featured interviews with retired Detective Chief Inspector Andy Cribbin and DCI Zoe Russo, telling the story of how detectives gathered evidence and a built a case, identifying the offenders through to conviction.

Law student Aya was mistakenly killed in the botched drive by shooting while she was walking along King Street on May 17, 2020. Aya was studying at the University of Salford, and her family had moved to Blackburn 10 years before her death, fleeing from violence in Lebanon.

Aya was shot by Zamir Raja who was sitting in the back of a Toyota Avensis being driven by Anthony Ennis.

Raja, a hitman brought in to do a job, fired two shots from the car as it drove past Quickshine Tyres. Raja’s first shot hit one of the windows of the shop, with the second hitting Aya.

The shooting was the culmination of a long-running feud between Feroz Suleman, the owner of RI Tyres, and Khan.

Aya had no connection to anyone in the case, and was out shopping for food for her family.

Eight people were sentenced in August 2021. In March 2023, Louis Otway was found guilty of both the murder of Aya Hachem and the attempted murder of Pachah Khan.

Otway, 42, of Clitheroe Road, Manchester, was sentenced in May to life with a minimum term of 32 years before he can apply for parole.

The last person to be sentenced for their involvement in the case was 32-year-old Cally Bainbridge of Moss Road, Stretford, Manchester.

Bainbridge was found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and in August 2023, she was jailed for 23 months at Preston Crown Court.

Credits by Asian Connect & Business Connect