A teenager has been convicted of killing a six-year-old girl who died when her Birmingham home was firebombed in an "honour attack".

Alisha Begum became trapped when a blaze swept through the Aston property in what police described as a "vindictive and malicious" attack.

A jury at the city's crown court deliberated for over 13 hours before finding Daryll Tuzzio guilty of manslaughter.

Tuzzio (18), of Sandringham Road, Perry Barr, was also convicted yesterday of arson with intent to endanger life but was cleared of murder and nine charges of attempted murder.

Sentence was adjourned for a pre-sentence report and Tuzzio was remanded in custody by Mr Justice Field.

Hussain Ahmed, aged 26, of Quinton Road West, Harborne, walked free from court after being found not guilty of murder, manslaughter, nine charges of attempted murder and arson with intent.

The court had heard the property had been targeted because of a secret liaison between Mr Ahmed's 15-year-old sister and one of Alisha's brothers, Abdul Hamid, which the girl's family disapproved of.

Adrian Redgrave QC, prosecuting, said the relationship between the two had started in October last year and that they would secretly meet and phone each other.

On March 9 this year a threatening call was made to Mr Hamid's home in Bayswater Road which he shared with his brothers and sisters, warning him to keep away from the girl.

Mr Redgrave said that on the following day, shortly before midnight, the front door of the property was smashed open and a man, wearing a balaclava, sprayed petrol in the hallway before putting a match to it.

The fire spread upstairs and family members were forced to jump from the house.

Mr Redgrave said Alisha was still alive when discovered but died despite efforts to save her.

The court heard that two others, Mr Ahmed's brother, Mohammed Foaz Ahmed and a close friend Jabed Ali, were alleged to have been involved in the petrol bombing and are believed to be in Bangladesh.

The jury was also shown CCTV footage of Ali filling a can of petrol at a nearby petrol station and Tuzzio paying for it less than two hours before the fire.

Tuzzio told the court he had nothing to do with the blaze and was at home at the time when it happened while Mr Ahmed, who also denied involvement, said he was at the cinema.

In a statement read out in court Abdul Mumin, Alisha's elder brother who works as a waiter, said his family devastated and traumatised by her "murder".

He went on: "Although we are putting a brave face on it sometimes we find ourselves thinking about Alisha, sometimes just looking on the floor."

Detective Sergeant Stuart Kidd, one of the investigating officers, said: "It was a vindictive and malicious crime which resulted in the tragic death of a young girl and other members of her family suffering serious injury.

"Much has been made of so called honour surrounding the circumstances of this case but no right thinking person will find any honour in what has occurred. Only tragedy and shame."

The officer also said it was an ongoing operation and that the police were still seeking others in relation to what happened.