Man in court over 999 murder call

Sep 23 2009 by Andy Richards, Birmingham Mail

A MAN has been committed to the Crown Court charged with perverting the course of justice after police hunting the killer of taxi driver Mohammed Arshad received a call from someone falsely confessing to be the murderer.

Keith Humphrys, aged 51, of Redditch Road, Kings Norton, spoke only to confirm his name and address during a hearing at Redditch Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

It is alleged he falsely confessed to the murder of 36-year-old dad-of-three Mr Arshad in a 999 call to West Midlands Police on August 30.

Humphrys did not enter a plea and his case was committed to Worcester Crown Court for a hearing in January.

The hunt for Mr Arshad’s murderer is continuing and detectives have appealed for help to trace two men seen in a silver or metallic grey estate car which pulled on to the driveway of a farm in Wast Hills Lane at about 8.30pm on Wednesday, July 22. Anyone with information should call 0300 333 3000.