Aya Hachem murder: Woman who helped to provide false alibis following botched drive-by shooting in Blackburn jailed

Cally Bainbridge, 32, of Moss Road, Stretford, Manchester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

She was jailed for 23 months at Preston Crown Court on Friday (August 11).

She is the last person to be sentenced in connection with Aya’s death.

When did the botched drive-by shooting take place?

Aya Hachem, 19, was mistakenly killed in a botched drive-by shooting while she was walking along King Street on May 17, 2020.

Who shot Aya?

Aya was shot by Zamir Raja who was sitting in the back of a Toyota Avensis being driven by Anthony Ennis.

Raja, a hitman brought in to do a job, fired two shots from the car as it drove past Quickshine Tyres.

His intended target was Pachah Khan – the proprietor of Quickshine Tyres.

Raja’s first shot hit one of the windows of the shop, with the second hitting Aya.

The shooting was the culmination of a long-running feud between Feroz Suleman, the owner of RI Tyres, and Khan.

Aya had no connection to anyone in the case, and was out shopping for food for her family.

What did Bainbridge do to pervert the course of justice?

On the day of the shooting, Bainbridge drove to Bolton to meet Zamir Raja and Anthony Ennis to collect their mobile phones from them.

She then drove back to South Manchester and switched the phones on.

Ennis’ phone came back to life in Partington, where he lived.

Bainbridge then drove to Sale where she turned Raja’s phone on.

Bainbridge did this to create the false impression that Zamir Raja and Anthony Ennis were not in Blackburn at the time of Aya’s shooting, but rather South Manchester, therefore providing them with a false alibi.

Who else has been sentenced?

Eight people were sentenced in August 2021.

They were:

- Feroz Suleman, 40, of Shear Brow, Blackburn was sentenced to 34 years. He instigated and organised the hit.

- Zamir Raja, 33, of Davyhulme Road, Stretford, Manchester was given 34 years. He was responsible for sourcing and transporting the firearm used in the shooting, as well as firing the shots.

- Anthony Ennis, 31, of Grasmere Court, Partington was sentenced to 33 years. He drove the Avensis carrying the gunman during the shooting.

- Ayaz Hussain, 35, of Calgary Avenue, Blackburn was given 32 years. He was the link between the Lancashire offenders and Zamir Raja and Anthony Ennis, based in Manchester. He played a key role in organising and orchestrating the shooting and was in company of Abubakr Satia when petrol was bought to burn out the Avensis, however, this did not go ahead.

- Abubakr Satia, 32, of Oxford Close, Blackburn, was sentenced to 28 years. He sourced the Avensis used in the shooting and was also was involved in buying petrol afterwards to burn out the car.

- Kashif Manzoor, 26, of Shakeshaft Street, Blackburn was given 27 years. He ensured the Avensis used to transport the shooter was running on the day of the incident.

- Uthman Satia, 29, of St Hubert’s Road, Great Harwood was sentenced to 28 years. He helped to transport the gunman and driver to and from the Avensis on Wellington Road as the front seat passenger of the car being driven by his girlfriend, Judy Chapman.

- Judy Chapman, 26, of St Hubert’s Road, Great Harwood was found not guilty of Aya’s murder but was convicted of her manslaughter. She was also found not guilty of the attempted murder of Pacha Khan. She received 15 years.

In March 2023, Louis Otway was found guilty of both the murder of Aya Hachem and the attempted murder of Pachah Khan.

Otway, 42, of Clitheroe Road, Manchester, was sentenced in May to life with a minimum term of 32 years before he can apply for parole.

Det Insp Ian Moore, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “Today’s sentence is the conclusion of what has been one of the most complex, widespread and meticulous investigations that Lancashire Police has ever undertaken.

“As an investigation team, our aim was always clear; to get justice for Aya –a young woman whose life was so full of promise and which was brutally and tragically cut short on that May afternoon.

“My thoughts today are first and foremost with her family and loved ones.

“I hope that this final sentence, along with those previously convicted and sentenced, offers Aya’s family some sense that we have achieved justice for her and that this shows that Lancashire Constabulary will never give up in our tenacious approach to putting those who commit these atrocious crimes before the courts.”