A man has been convicted and sentenced in connection with the murder of 18-year-old Daniel Higgins in 2003.

Jamil Khalid, aged 40, of Cooper Way, Slough, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to cause GBH by a unanimous jury verdict at Reading Crown Court, following an eleven day trial.

He was acquitted of a murder charge and has been jailed for 10 years.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Shearwood, of Major Crime Unit, said: "Daniel Higgins and his girlfriend were on the sofa in her house in Thirlmere Avenue, Burnham, when a number of masked offenders entered the property on November 9, 2003.

"Daniel was taken into the spare room where he was tortured before being fatally shot in the head, while his girlfriend protected her baby in the next room.

"We believe the murder was a revenge attack for the murder of Mohammed Mahmood Choudry in February 2003.

"It was our case that Jamil Khalid kept the other offenders updated by phone and obtained a key for them to access the property in Thirlmere Avenue.

"Following Daniel's brutal murder, Khalid was arrested, but when he was released from police custody he fled to Pakistan.

"However, 16 years later, Khalid returned to the UK on February 17 this year and was duly arrested at Birmingham Airport. He was charged the following day.

"This case demonstrates that Thames Valley Police will never give up on the fight for justice for victims and the families of victims.

"Khalid has now been convicted in connection with this incident, however we still believe there are three other offenders who also fled to Pakistan.

"They should know that we know who they are and we continue to actively seek them. I hope they live in constant fear that we will find them."

In November 2004, Majad Khan, who was aged 28 and living in Wexham Road, Slough, at the time, was found guilty of murdering Daniel and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years.

Two other men were also found guilty of assisting an offender, while a third man, pleaded guilty to the same offence.

They were sentenced to seven, five and four years respectively.

Following a second trial, Mohammed Omar Ahkbar was convicted of Daniel's murder in December 2005.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommended minimum term of twenty years.

At the same trial two men were convicted of assisting an offender, and were sentenced to five years and four years respectively.

 

*Daniel Higgins' family paid tribute to him this week - 16 years after his murder. 
They released a statement saying: “As a family we are still devastated by the loss of Daniel – 16 years later. This is made harder by having to re-live everything the last few weeks. The pain doesn’t get any easier with time passing – it is always at the forefront of our minds.
“Daniel was so young when he was taken from us – this has, and continues to shape, the lives of all the people he left behind. He was a loving son and brother, always making time for his younger brothers and trying to guide them through life. The impact of Daniel’s murder still affects each and every one of us.
“Daniel had his whole life ahead of him and was full of plans for his future - plans he never got the chance to realise. As a family we will continue to remember Daniel for the beautiful soul he was, smiling about the happy memories that he has left behind.
“Daniel will be forever loved and missed by his family and friends.”