Why Was Ako Azizpour Killed? Birmingham Glass Boss Jailed 11 Years

Ako Azizpour, 27, was killed at UK Superior Glass on Tyburn Road, Erdington, because his employer provided neither a crane nor a specialised forklift to unload 11 crates of glass weighing more than 24,000 kilograms — and now that employer, Nashwan Amin, 29, of Garrard Gardens, has been jailed for 11 years for gross negligence manslaughter. The sentence was handed down at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday 3 November 2026, following a joint investigation by West Midlands Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the fatal industrial accident of 8 February 2024. His brother, Razwan Amin, 27, of Wildmoor Close, received 32 weeks in prison after admitting perverting the course of justice.

Emergency services were called to the Erdington industrial premises alongside fire and ambulance colleagues after reports of an industrial accident. First responders found Mr Azizpour had been attempting to unload crates of glass from a shipping container when he became trapped. Although urgent work began to free him, he was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands each of the 11 crates weighed over two tonnes, and the consignment should have been unloaded using a crane or specialised forklift — equipment the business owner did not have.

Sentencing Nashwan Amin, His Honour Judge Smith KC said he had shown a "cavalier attitude to safe working" that led to the death of Mr Azizpour. An inspection of the premises found nothing in the way of documentation relating to employees or health and safety, and little evidence of training. A further report from the HSE stated that specialised equipment would have been needed to unload the glass, and that the risk of death within the danger zone around the crates was highly foreseeable.

Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that Nashwan Amin, the person registered as having significant control of UK Superior Glass, was arrested the following week, having previously provided a statement in relation to the incident which was found to be wholly inaccurate. Investigators uncovered evidence suggesting he knew a crane or forklift would be required to lift the glass but had made no arrangements for either.

Detectives also found evidence that Nashwan Amin had been targeting people locally who were seeking asylum, recruiting them to work for him as a cheap form of labour. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands this exploitation formed part of the wider offending examined during the investigation. Nashwan Amin was found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter at an earlier hearing, having previously admitted to perverting the course of justice. Alongside his 11-year prison term, he was disqualified from acting as a company director for ten years.

Razwan Amin previously admitted to perverting the course of justice in connection with the case. His 32-week sentence reflects his role in attempting to obstruct the investigation rather than any involvement in the unsafe working practices that caused Mr Azizpour's death.

Det Chief Inspector Dan Jarratt, who led the investigation, said: "This was a complex investigation throughout which our thoughts remained with Mr Azizpour's family. We worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive, and we were able to find out what happened that day – and demonstrate that ultimately Mr Azizpour's death could have been prevented. We were committed to bringing the pair to justice, and employers must be reminded to uphold their duty of care, especially where lives are lost due to preventable negligence."

Mr Azizpour's family have been supported by specialist officers throughout the investigation and subsequent legal process. In a statement released last year, they said it was still difficult to believe they had lost their son, and they demanded justice over his death. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that support for the bereaved family has continued through the sentencing phase.

The case has renewed attention on the legal responsibilities of employers under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which requires businesses to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees. The HSE's involvement in this prosecution underlines its remit to investigate serious workplace incidents and bring cases where there is evidence of significant failings. The complete absence of documentation relating to employees or health and safety at UK Superior Glass was a central feature of the evidence presented to the court.

The recruitment of asylum seekers as a cheap labour source raises additional legal and safeguarding questions. Employers are required to verify the right to work of all staff, and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals in the labour market remains a matter of ongoing concern for regulators and law enforcement. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that these recruitment practices were examined as part of the wider case against Nashwan Amin.

The 11-year prison term imposed on Nashwan Amin reflects the seriousness with which the court viewed the gross negligence manslaughter conviction and the associated perverting the course of justice offence. The ten-year director disqualification prevents him from holding a directorship or taking part in the management of a company during that period, a measure designed to protect the public and maintain confidence in corporate governance. Razwan Amin's 32-week sentence for perverting the course of justice serves as a reminder that attempts to obstruct investigations carry custodial consequences.

Mr Azizpour's death remains a source of profound grief for his family, who have described their loss as still difficult to accept. The conclusion of the criminal proceedings brings a measure of legal closure, though the human cost of the failings at UK Superior Glass cannot be undone.