A SIXTH man has appeared in court charged with conspiracy to murder Zubair Qayum, 21, of Halifax.

Restaurant owner Mohammed Tufail, 47, of Mayfield Avenue, Kings Cross, Halifax, is charged that at Accrington between January 1 and May 22, he conspired with others to commit murder.

Blackburn magistrates heard that five other men, including Mahboob Hussain, of Blackburn, have already been sent to Preston Crown Court for trial. Tufail, a father-of-seven, was remanded in custody to appear there on August 1.

Police swooped on a car park at Whitebirk, Blackburn, in May, when several men were arrested and a large sum of cash was recovered.

Mr Qayum, who is married to Shabina, the daughter of one of the accused, Mohammed Yaqub, is currently under protection.