Sheffield New Year's Eve murder accused was drug dealer with suspect who fled country

Irdris Sadiq had sold heroin and crack cocaine in the Darnall area for almost a decade, Sheffield Crown Court heard yesterday.

Sadiq, aged 30, of Darnall Road, was known to drug users as ‘Idi’ and worked with Sohail Khan, who had the nickname ‘Page Hall’.

Four of their customers told the court that the pair worked as a team, with Sadiq selling the drugs and Khan driving him around.

Sadiq denies murdering Zabair Hussain, 41, who was found dead in Staniforth Road, Darnall, shortly before midnight on New Year’s Eve. The court previously heard Mr Hussain was attacked with a baseball bat by three men, left for dead in the road, and then run over by a passing motorist. The prosecution says Khan – who flew to Pakistan on January 2 and has not returned – and another unidentified man are all guilty of killing Mr Hussain.

Witness Lisa King told the court she was a regular customer of Sadiq, whom she knew as Idi. She bought drugs from him most days, and the day of Mr Hussain’s death was no different. She called Khan from a friend’s phone and asked him for drugs on the evening of December 31 last year but he was a few hours late.

Ms King said Khan phoned her to say he was back in Darnall at 10.50pm that night. She called him just before midnight and was told to call back in 10 minutes. She tried to call until 3am with no answer. The next morning Khan’s phone was off.

Statements from three other witnesses were read, saying Sadiq would deal drugs and Khan would drive.

The court heard from PC Joseph Gourdin, who was called to a traffic stop on August 11 last year.

When he arrived, two men who were later identified as Sadiq and Khan were standing outside the car.

PC Gourdin said he found a baseball bat in the rear footwell, a wheelbrace in the front and a small amount of cannabis.

The trial continues.