Man who murdered housemates jailed for life

A man who murdered his two housemates in "sustained" attacks has been told he will serve at least 34 years in prison.

Robert Jean killed his "father figure" Khaja Raisoddin Mohammed, 65, and 53-year-old Abdullah Mirzada at the home they shared in Chapeltown, Leeds on 30 September 2023.

Jean, 47, was found guilty of two counts of murder following a two-week trial at Leeds Crown Court, during which he did not give evidence or explain his motives.

Issuing two life sentences, Mr Justice Eyre told Jean he had attacked the two men while "off guard" and had shown "no remorse" for his actions.

The court heard Jean, originally from Haiti, had moved in to an address on Hilltop Mount in Chapeltown in 2018 when Mr Mohammed sub-let a room to him.

In the days and weeks before his death, Mr Mohammed had been "pressing" Jean to get a job so he could pay rent.

On the day of the attack the two men were in the cellar when Jean attacked Mr Mohammed with a metal mop handle, bricks and knives.

The court heard father-of-two Mr Mohammed had suffered 34 separate injuries.

Jean was then said to have gone upstairs and stabbed Mr Mirzadain the back as he sat eating breakfast in the kitchen.

He tried to escape but was chased into a rear alleyway where he collapsed as a result of his injuries.

In an impact statement read out in court, Mr Mirzada's brother said after witnessing CCTV footage of the attack during the trial, he couldn't "get the picture of his terrified face out of my mind".

"It was like Robert Jean was slaughtering an animal," he added.

When police arrived, Jean claimed the pair had attacked him, but this was rejected by the judge.

The prosecution alleged Jean attacked Mr Mirzada either as an act of revenge for "siding with" Mr Mohammed in the argument about the rent, or to prevent him from raising the alarm.

However, it was said Jean, who had no previous convictions and was described as having been of good character before the incident, had never fully explained what had happened.

Passing sentence Mr Justice Eyre said: "You killed both men when they were in the house where you were a housemate and where they were, and were entitled to be, off their guard.

"It is also clear that you have no remorse for your actions. Your concern at the time and since has been solely to avoid any responsibility for what you did that day."

Det Supt Marc Bowes said: "Robert Jean brutally murdered Abdullah Mirzada and Khaja Raisoddin Mohammed in an appalling explosion of violence that was utterly senseless.

"He knew both men and had lived alongside them for some time. Whatever grievance he may have had with them cannot provide any justification for what he did."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.