Two killers who beat the wrong man to death in a dispute over a relationship between a young Asian couple from different religions were jailed for life yesterday.

A jury at Stafford Crown Court took almost 13 hours at the end of a 16-day trial to convict Shimraz Khan (35) and Waheed Akhtar (22) of the murder of Major Singh Gill, a 55-year-old father of three in his Costcutter Shop in Pemberton Road, West Bromwich, in August last year.

Raja Hussain, aged 24, of Bloxwich Road and Fiaz Ali, aged 30, of Croft Street, Birchills, both Walsall, were found not guilty. All four had denied the charge.

Shimraz Khan was told he must serve at least 18 years before being considered for parole.

Waheed Akhtar was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years.

Mr Justice Mitting told Khan: "I am satisfied that this was a deliberate attack on a defenceless man.

"You caused him serious injuries. I don't believe you intended before you went into that shop that he should die.

"I don't know whether you struck the fatal blow or not or that you tried to stop the fatal blow. You organised this deliberate attack and you bear the greatest share of responsibility."

Anthony Barker QC, prosecuting, told the court that the killers went to Mr Gill's shop armed with various weapons including iron bars and a hockey stick and assaulted the shopkeeper who died two days later from his head injuries.

Mr Barker said the story behind the killing was a "complicated" one and dealt with the relationship between a 21-year-old Sikh and a young Muslim girl.

"The relationship sparked animosity between the two families," he told jurors. "Members of the Sikh family went to the girl's home calling for them to come outside and being generally aggressive. That led to the hatching of a plot for revenge."

Joanne Greenberg QC, defending Shimraz Khan, said: "There was no intent to kill and there was no prior planning of serious violence or a conspiracy to murder or cause grievous bodily harm."