A businessman and a student appeared in court this morning charged with killing an East Ham grandfather.

Suraj Mistry, 26, and Lemar Wali, 18, appeared via video link at Birmingham Crown Court accused of killing 56-year-old company director Akhtar Javeed during an alleged attempted robbery.

Mistry, of Laundon Way, Leicester, and Wali, of Osmaston Park Road, Derby, are both also charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a handgun.

The two were remanded back in custody, where they have been since their arrest, until a plea and case management hearing on Monday, May 9 at the same court.

A trial date was also set by Judge Patrick Thomas QC for Monday June 20.

The judge told the men: “We’re doing the best to get your trial on as soon as we can, in everybody’s interest.”

He was killed in what police have described as an attempted robbery at the Direct Source 3 Ltd premises in the Digbeth area of Birmingham on Wednesday, February 3.

Two other men have been arrested for conspiracy to commit robbery in connection with Mr Javeed’s death.