HOME Secretary Jack Straw has taken up the case of a family fighting for justice after the brutal slaying of their son.

Mohammed and Walyat Iqbal were left without anyone to blame for the death of 18-year-old Shehzad after charges against the man accused of murdering him were dropped due to the "incompetence" of his own solicitor.

Now the Blackburn MP has agreed to review the case on behalf of Mr and Mrs Iqbal, of Saunders Road, Blackburn.

Shehzad, a student at St Mary's College, Blackburn, was stabbed to death on a street corner near his home in December 1995.

Londoner Rashid Mankda was cleared of the murder by Manchester Crown Court following a five-day investigation into the conduct of Blackburn solicitor Owen Sharples. Prosecuting barrister Guy Gozem QC told the court that Mr Sharples had acted "woefully below the standards of competence" when he represented Mankda after his arrest.

Mr Gozem said the Crown had decided "with considerable regret" to offer no further evidence and that there was "a real risk of one or more mistaken identifications being placed before the jury."

Today Mr Straw said he was awaiting a report from the director of public prosections about the case.

He added: "This was the very unusual result of the incompetence of a defence solicitor.

"It has obviously left Shehzad's family with a very strong sense of injustice.

"I have written to the director general of the law society to see what action they are taking against Mr Sharples.

"I have also taken up quite a complex case of how evidence was presented with Lancashire's Chief Constable, Pauline Clare."

Mr Straw said he would also be examining the law which allows a defendant to walk free because of the incompetence of his own solicitor.

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