A criminal who stole millions from British taxpayers as part of a Covid fraud gang was previously sentenced to death in Pakistan.
Sajid Hussain was one of nine men jailed for a total of nearly 50 years for their part in a Birmingham group who swindled small business grants, bounce back loans, eat out to help out and self assessment payments.
Birmingham Crown Court heard that before he was part of the gang, Hussain had once been embroiled in a dispute over land in Pakistan, which ultimately led him to falsely confessing to murder and being sentenced to death.
The conviction was eventually overturned and he was released after 10 years but it was during his time in jail that Hussain was put in contact with the would-be mastermind of the Covid-19 fraud.
While in custody, the 36-year-old met an inmate who introduced him to Qirat Deeas who offered to help with his appeal.
Upon eventually meeting him in person after travelling to the UK Hussain felt he owed his life to Deeas and embroiled himself in his fraud scheme.
Hussain’s barrister Mohammed Riaz provided the extraordinary backstory as part of his mitigation earlier this week.
He told the court that Hussain, his mother and father were accused of murder which involved a dispute over land, but while his parents were acquitted Hussain was ‘tortured until such time when he had no alternative but to confess’.
Sajid Hussain was once embroiled in a dispute over land in Pakistan, which ultimately led him to falsely confessing to murder and being sentenced to death
It was during his time in prison that Hussain was put in contact with the would-be mastermind of the Covid-19 fraud. While in custody, the 36-year-old met an inmate who introduced him to Qirat Deeas (pictured) who offered to help with his appeal
Mr Riaz said: ‘He was convicted and sentenced to the death penalty. There was a long legal challenge which lasted for a decade to clear his name.
‘There was a successful appeal to the high court where the sentence was reduced from the death penalty to a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years.’
He stated ‘deficiencies in the evidence’ when Hussain was convicted led to the supreme court clearing him altogether. Mr Riaz stated Hussain ‘lost touch with the outside world’ for ten years, including missing the funeral of his parents who passed away while he was in a Pakistan jail.
The barrister confirmed Deeas had offered to help him mount his legal challenge, adding that Hussain as ‘extremely grateful for the support’. Mr Riaz told the court that Hussain travelled to the UK after his release.
He said: ‘He would be there if called upon for Qirat Deeas. He felt he owed his whole life to Qirat Deeas and wanted to show gratitude.
‘When he was recruited by Qirat Deeas he embarked on the fraud. He did not fully appreciate the nature, the scale or the sophistication of it. He is an example of someone who has been manipulated or used as a scapegoat, even exploited.’
Stating that Hussain had special needs the barrister added: ‘He was taken advantage of. If there was going to be a fall guy it was this defendant. He has been duped by others.’
Hussain, who is divorced, lives in a house of multiple occupancy in Flackwell Road, Erdington and has a number of health issues which he has had since he was a boy.
The court has previously heard that at one stage during the fraud he complained everyone else involved had ‘made enough to live in Dubai’, except himself.
Mr Riaz continued: ‘Despite assurances Qirat Deeas would look after him we know that never happened. He didn’t have the financial means while abroad so he came back.’
He further added: ‘This defendant was the first to indicate to the police that Qirat Deeas was involved and instrumental in this conspiracy.’
Hussain was sentenced to five years after admitting two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of money laundering.
Deeas, aged 51, of The Hurst, in Moseley, Birmingham, was jailed for seven years and seven months after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud and two counts of money laundering. At one point he had fled the country before returning voluntarily and handing himself in.
He has 11 children and step children in total with his wife, the court heard. Balbir Sing KC, defending, stated Deeas had done a lot of charity work before the pandemic and had since ‘thrown himself’ into prison life by becoming a ‘listener’, member of the prison council and a peer mentor.
Birmingham Crown Court where Hussain was one of nine men jailed for a total of nearly 50 years for their part in a Birmingham group who swindled small business grants, bounce back loans, eat out to help out and self assessment payments
Mr Singh said: ‘He accepts readily he did very wrong in this period of time and compounded that by running away because he couldn’t face the shame of having to face his parents and the community.’
Ummer Yousaf, aged 40, of Bent Avenue, Quinton, Birmingham, was found guilty of two counts each of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering as well as a charge of failing to comply with a RIPA notice. He was sentenced to eight years.
Sameer Mohammed, aged 34, of Waterfront Way, Walsall, admitted two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of money laundering. He was sentenced to four years and nine months.
Noah Deen, aged 32, of Wood End Road, Erdington, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of money laundering. He was sentence to five years and three months.
Usaamah Bin Taariq, aged 26, of The Hurst, in Moseley, Birmingham, admitted two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of money laundering. He was sentenced to four years.
Tassadaq Hussain, aged 54, of Northfield Crescent, Bingley, Bradford, admitted one count each of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. He was sentenced to four years and nine months.
Imaan Hussain, aged 24, of Northfield Crescent, Bingley, Bradford, admitted two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of money laundering. He was sentenced to four years and nine months.
Naqeeb Shakurt, aged 26, of Springcroft Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, admitted two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of money laundering. He was sentenced to four years and nine months.
Al-Harris Hussain, aged 30, of Thornbury Grove, Bingley, Bradford, was found guilty of one offence of money laundering. He was sentenced to two years suspended for two years.
Zishan Ahmed, aged 30, of Higgins Lane, Quinton, Birmingham and Harun Shehzad, aged 29, of City Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham both admitted two counts of conspiracy to defraud and one count of money laundering. They will be sentenced at a later date.
