FOUR Asian men have been found guilty of violent disorder following last year's Burnley riots.

The three adults and a teenager were convicted of the offence which related to a charge on police lines by a group of Asians during the violence which rocked the town in June last year.

Tariq Saddique, 28, of Azalea Road, Blackburn, Mohammed Bashir, 22, of Forest Street, Burnley, and Asif Khan, 24, of Francis Street, Burnley, were found guilty of one count of violent disorder at Preston Crown Court after a five-week trial.

The jury of seven women and five men, who took about eight hours to reach their unanimous verdict, cleared Saddique and Bashir of two other counts of violent disorder and also cleared Khan of one other violent disorder charge - all relating to a mass confrontation between whites and Asians on Colne Road and a march along Hurtley Street.

A 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who also denied causing violent disorder on several streets around the Daneshouse area on June 24, was found guilty of violent disorder in connection with a charge at police but was cleared of any involvement in any other confrontations.

Abdul Rahim Kayani, 18, of Brougham Street, Burnley, had pleaded guilty to one count of violent disorder at an earlier stage of the trial for taking part in the charge at police but the other charges against him were dropped.

A fifth man, Mohammed Nawaz, 35, of Lord Street, Brierfield, near Nelson, who was also charged with violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon, was found not guilty.

During the disorders large groups of white and Asian males, some of whom were armed with swords, machetes, golf clubs, axes and cricket bats, attacked several pubs, overturned cars, burned property and charged at police officers, the court heard during the trial.

David Pickup QC, prosecuting, described the clashes between large groups of Asians, whites and the police as "terrifying" and an act of "pure violence".

He suggested that the defendants may have been involved in "revenge attacks" to hit back at a large group of about 30 racist whites who had been targeting their community after a drinking binge.

Asians took to the streets following rumours that an Asian taxi driver had been killed by white racists and that the Ghosia Mosque was under threat.

Asian drivers were threatened by whites walking on the road, Asian properties and people in the area were attacked with stone and brick missiles before the white group started fighting with police, the court was told.

The charge of violent disorder to which four of the defendants were convicted related to a charge by a group of Asians at police who were trying to keep them in one area around Colne Road, Hurtley Street, Briercliffe Road and Barton Street.

Saddique was cleared of being involved in a large-scale attack on the Danehouse Working Men's Club, near Robinson Street, which is popular among white people, during which bricks and metal missiles smashed windows and a group of Asians tried to storm the doors.

Saddique admitted a charge of criminal damage for attacking a CCTV camera between Hall Street and Able Street, while Bashir was found not guilty of this offence.

Three of the defendants were also found guilty of possessing offensive weapons.

Saddique was carrying a cricket bat, Khan was carrying a sword and the youth was carrying a baton, the jury found.

The youth was, however, cleared of brandishing a golf club and Nawaz was cleared of carrying a baton as the jury returned the remainder of their verdicts after a total of 10 hours of deliberation.

A similar weapon charge against Bashir was earlier dropped.

Judge David Boulton adjourned sentencing on Kayani, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder, until October 24 and adjourned sentencing on the rest of the defendants until November 4.

Judge Boulton also commended the police officers involved in the stand-off on Colne Road.

He said many were to be commended by the Chief Constable for bravery.

"I think everybody would agree that, irrespective of the involvement of these defendants, those men's actions on Colne Road were extremely brave and I would want my name to be added to that commendation."