by Keith Hunt

The trial of Afghan youths over the death of a teenager in a mass brawl in Folkestone has ended abruptly with fresh pleas being accepted by the prosecution.

Fazullhaq Walizada, 18, Farid Hussani, 18, Eraij Faqirzada, 19, and two 17-year-old boys, who cannot be identified, all denied murdering Osman Sherzad (pictured below right) and violent disorder.

The Crown's case was that Walizada, of Channel House, Bradstone Road, Folkestone, inflicted the fatal knife wound on the 17-year-old victim at a flat in Marine Terrace on January 24.

But it was Hussani (pictured left) who today admitted killing Osman. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and not guilty verdicts were entered on all the murder charges.

He was sentenced to five years youth custody. Almost 10 months spent on remand will count towards the sentence.

Parwiz Rahimi, 18, of Windsor Street, Liverpool, denied violent disorder. Hussani also denied wounding Saidoullah Sayed with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Walizada, Faqirzada, of no fixed address, and the two 17-year-olds, one from Ashford and the other from Tunbridge Wells, today had their guilty pleas to an affray a week earlier accepted and not guilty verdicts were entered on the other charges.

Walizada, Faqirzada, and one of the 17-year-olds was sentenced to eight months youth custody. They will be freed because of time spent in custody.

The other 17-year-old was given an absolute discharge. Rahimi was cleared completely and also discharged.

The case of Parwiz Dilsoz, 19, of Dover Road, Folkestone, who denied violent disorder, has been severed and he will face a separate trial.

Mr Justice Keith told the jury at Maidstone Crown Court: "These are dramatic developments indeed."

Osman was killed after rival groups of Daris and Pashtuns held a peace meeting. But the court heard it turned into an ambush and violence then erupted.

The judge told Hussani: "The bottom line here is since there was a possibility you were walking into a trap you should have met them on neutral ground where you couldn't have been ambushed.

"Then there would have been no need to take knives with you. I am prepared to accept you feared for your life when you saw the Pashtuns had knives.

"But a young man died at your hands because you took a knife with you and that is what you have to be punished for."