A suspect linked to the car hire used in the attack on former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s accountability chief Shahzad Akbar’s residence in Cambridge has been formally charged. Dylan Martin, 33, appeared at the Old Bailey, accused of involvement in a conspiracy to set fire to Akbar’s home and firing shots during the incident around New Year’s Eve last year. He faces charges including possession of a firearm and two counts of conspiracy to commit arson with intent or reckless disregard for life.
Martin is the eighth individual charged in connection with the coordinated attacks targeting Major (retired) Adil Raja and Shahzad Akbar between Christmas 2025 and early January 2026. Another suspect, 21-year-old Doneto Brammer from Wood Green, north London, has been charged previously and is alleged to have ignited the rag used in the fire. The identity of the gunman involved remains unknown and he is believed to be at large.
The charges against Martin stem from events on New Year’s Eve when a vehicle was driven to Akbar’s Cambridge home. Martin is accused of hiring the car used in the attack and was arrested on January 5. Police investigations revealed that at least three rounds were fired inside the property, shattering the front window. The shooter, described as a slim white male, also used the butt of his pistol to break the window before tossing the burning rag inside. Fortunately, Akbar had left the house just minutes before the attack.
Justice Cheema-Grubb announced that Martin’s case would be combined with Brammer’s, who faces similar charges. Both are scheduled for a preliminary plea hearing on July 17, with a joint trial set to begin on June 6 next year at Birmingham Crown Court. Martin was remanded in custody following the hearing.
The other seven suspects charged earlier include Asif Afsar, Liam McGarry, Mark Regan, Louis Regan, Karl Blackbird, and Clark McAulay. Police confirmed that Raja’s home was targeted on December 24, 2025, in Chesham, while Akbar’s residence was attacked on December 24 and 31, 2025, and again on January 10, 2026. Authorities have not determined a motive behind these attacks, which the prosecution describes as deliberate targeted hits. The investigation is ongoing as the trial date approaches.
