Pair face life for murder of Bilston bar owner

Two men were facing life in jail today for the gun murder of an innocent Black Country bar owner following a trivial row over a laser pen.

Hooded Sukwinder Sanghera fired the fatal shot into the chest of Swinder Singh Batth after being recruited to take revenge on the gang which shone the beam into a friend's car.

Sanghera, aged 24, of West Bromwich, and accomplice Jasbir Takhar, 23, were convicted of murder yesterday afternoon following an eight-week trial.

Five other men and a woman who went to Gavin's Sports Bar in Bilston, which 47-year-old father-of-four Mr Batth ran, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit violent disorder. Two other men were found guilty of intimidating a witness and all were being sentenced today.

Birmingham Crown Court heard how a Seat people carrier and a Renault Clio carrying nine men and a woman pulled up outside the Hall Street bar at around midnight on July 28 last year.

Birmingham Crown Court was told Takhar and defendant Onkar Singh Sangha argued with a man called Craig Martin on the steps of the bar. The court heard he was the likely target of Sanghera, who got out of the Seat and fired the shot.

Sanghera had been recruited by Takhar to "find and execute" the man who had shone the pen at Neesha Dubb, who was convicted of violent disorder.

Prosecutor Mr Christopher Hotten QC said the gunman, who was arrested while working at Wickes DIY in Perry Barr, and Takhar were prepared to use "lethal force."

Gavin Batth, who had gone outside with his father to investigate the argument, told the trial he heard a "really loud bang" as he and his father prepared to go inside.

By Crime Correspondent Mike Woods