Muslim father-of-four, 35, died after friends 'forced' him to drink two bottles ... trends now
A young dad died after being 'forced' to drink two bottles of brandy as a forfeit for losing at cards - and was then put into the back of his car and locked in a compound overnight on his own, an inquest heard.
Umar Aziz was allegedly made to down the strong spirit in the space of just 30 minutes as a 'Jurmana' - the Urdu word for penalty - the night before he was due to attend his sister's wedding.
The 35-year-old was then placed on a chair outside a 'dreary' portacabin where his supposed friends took photos and filmed him on their phones before leaving him, the court was told.
The inquest heard thousands of pounds Mr Aziz was carrying to buy a wedding present has never been found.
Mr Aziz, who was married with four young children, was eventually found the next day and taken to hospital after one of the group who were with him the previous night, Abdul Shaqoor, finally returned to the compound in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
Umar Aziz with his wife Sadhaf Ikhlaq and two of his children
Pictured left to right: Mouzham Jahangir, Abdul Shaqoor and Jhangeer Ahmed
The car where Mr Aziz was found the next day by Mr Shaqoor. He was discovered to have 330mg of alcohol per 1000ml of blood - over four times the drink-drive limit
Mr Shaqoor did not arrive there until 12.17pm the next day, Sunday May 23, 2021, and found Mr Aziz unresponsive in his car.
He died from fatal levels of alcohol having 330mg of alcohol per 1000ml of blood - over four times the drink-drive limit of 80mg.
Barrister Matthew Stanbury, on behalf of the Aziz family - who are seeking an unlawful killing verdict - challenged Mr Shaqoor saying: 'Jurmana was banded about as a concept in your group.'
Mr Shaqoor denied Jurmana was a punishment and that they used the word to mean a treat.
Mr Stanbury replied: 'So I'm the loser and my punishment is to be the recipient of a treat?'
Mr Shaqoor said: 'None of this was with intent. He was a brother.'
Although police investigated the tragedy, no charges were ever brought against Mr Shaqoor – allegedly the ringleader - or four other men who were present on the night, the inquest heard.
Pathologist Dr Richard Knight said the cause of death due to acute alcohol intoxication.
Mr Shaqoor (pictured) denied the four men had forced Mr Aziz to drink the spirit as a punishment and described him as a 'brother'
Mr Jahangir (pictured) was one of the group of four friends who placed the 35-yar-old on a chair outside a portacabin and took photos and filmed him as he was being sick
Mr Ahmed (pictured) along with the rest of the group locked the father in his car after driving it into a compound and locking it up. He was found comatose the next day covered in vomit
Medical staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary were unable to save Mr Aziz and switched off the life support machine that same day - when his sister's wedding celebrations were supposed to start.
Mr Aziz's father Mohabbat Aziz found evidence on his son's mobile phone that suggested the group of six friends, some who went back to childhood, had previously used 'Jurmana' as a punishment for failing to turn up to events.
On this occasion, Mr Stanbury suggested to Mr Shaqoor that rather than playing cards for money, they had used 'Jarmana' as a punishment for losing at cards - which was denied.
The inquest at Bradford Coroners' Court heard how Mr Aziz had a very close group of friends who he would go out with most weekends, meeting up in car parks or a car lock-up owned by one of the group to smoke cannabis and drink alcohol.
On the fateful evening, as well as Mr Shaqoor, he was drinking with Jhangeer Ahmed, Mouzham Jahangir, Mohammed Shakeel and Mr Shaqoor's brother Abdul Saboor - who owned the lock-up.
In a statement to the court, Mr Aziz's wife of 14-years Sadhaf Ikhlaq, 30, who was just 16 when they married in 2010 in an arranged marriage in Pakistan, told how he would often come home under the influence of alcohol.
But she said Mr Aziz, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was hardworking and ran his own takeaway in nearby Leeds.
He would work until 11pm Monday to Saturday. At the weekends he would often meet with his friends for a drinking session.
