By Glen Keogh & Sam Richardson
A dad who was pressured to burn down a Rochdale takeaway in an attempted insurance scam, setting himself alight in the process, was jailed today.
Rana Kamran, 28, of Briar Street, Rochdale, was sentenced to two-and-a-half-years in prison, and will serve a minimum of 15 months before his likely deportation.
Kamran’s defence argued that he was an easy target and he had been persuaded by two men to do ‘the most dangerous task of all’ in burning down Hafiz Takeaway on Spotland Road, Rochdale, on May 16 this year.
AFTERMATH: Kamran in hospital after setting himself alight by accident
With the promise of a job, the men told Kamran to break into the outlet, douse it in petrol and burn it down so they could rake in £70,000 in insurance money.
The attempt went drastically wrong when Kamran accidentally set himself alight, dropping his singed coat in the alleyway behind, which police used to track him down using his DNA.
Defending at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court this morning, David Temkin, said: “My client’s position remains unchanged – he couldn’t have acted alone.”
Judge Timothy Mort said he absolutely agreed, as evidence given showed the CCTV had previously been removed – but Kamran ‘paid the physical price’.
“There is clear evidence that your job in this arson was to go in and start the fire, but the preparation had been done by others,” he said in his closing remarks.
Following the fire, Kamran, who has a seven-month-old daughter, took himself to hospital where he was treated for horrific burns on his hands and buttocks.
He claimed he had suffered the injuries in a frying pan fire and will be scarred for life.
Listening to proceedings through an interpreter, Kamran heard how the probation officer was moved to tears by his account of what had happened, and how he was forced into going through with the act to gain a job.
However, Judge Mort said the offence was reckless to other life, despite Kamran being cleared of a more serious count of arson, instead being convicted of ‘simple’ arson.
As the takeaway burned, an elderly woman was heard screaming from an adjoining flat by the fire service and had to be rescued and treated for smoke inhalation.
When he was originally arrested, Kamran repeatedly lied to the police, before eventually admitting an involvement.
Sentencing, Judge Mort said: “I was astonished that the others who planned this arson were not prosecuted – It was very, very surprising that this decision was not taken.
“Yours was the lesser role – that is absolutely clear for this case. You are convicted of the lesser offence of arson.
“You were very much used to do this job because of your financial situation and you paid a physical price.
“I am quite satisfied that you do not pose a risk and you are likely to be deported.”
Kamran’s sentence will begin immediately, including the days he has already spent in custody since his arrest.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
