Somaiya Begum: Uncle who killed niece who refused marriage jailed

A man who murdered his 20-year-old niece and dumped her body on wasteland after she refused a forced marriage has been jailed for life.

Mohammed Taroos Khan, 53, killed Somaiya Begum at her home before leaving her body wrapped up in a rug.

The Leeds Beckett University student's body was found on Fitzwilliam Street, Bradford, in July 2022, 11 days after she went missing.

At Bradford Crown Court, Khan was given a minimum of 25 years in jail.

During the trial, jurors were told Miss Begum was subject to a Forced Marriage Protection Order at the time of her death due to attempts by her father to force her to marry a cousin "by threat of violence".

She had been living with another of her uncles in Binnie Street after her parents had been issued with the order.

After attacking Miss Begum in her home on 25 June last year, Khan was seen on CCTV dragging her body from his car and dumping it on waste ground.

The footage, which was played to the jury, showed him parking on Mill Lane before getting out and pulling something long and light coloured out of the vehicle.

Khan, of Thornbury Road, Bradford, who denied murder, admitted perverting the course of justice by disposing of Miss Begum's body and trying to burn her mobile phone.

For this, he was handed a five-year sentence, to run concurrently.

A post-mortem examination found a 4in (10.7cm) metal spike embedded in Miss Begum's back which had penetrated her lung.

Sentencing Khan to life in prison on Wednesday, Mr Justice Garnham said: "It is not possible to identify a motive for this dreadful attack by you on an innocent young woman.

"It is said you did not support her forced marriage to the cousin in Pakistan.

"It is said you did not share the view of your brother, Yaseen, about the role of women or the obligation of Somaiya to obey her father.

"Moreover, it is pure speculation to consider whether this murder was part of some appalling family agreement."

He told the court: "All that matters for present purposes is that the jury have found you guilty of the heinous crime of murder.

"I decline to speculate on your motive and I reject the prosecution's suggestion that I should treat this as any form of so-called honour killing."

Det Supt Marc Bowes, from West Yorkshire Police, said Miss Begum was killed in a "vicious and sustained attack".

He said Khan's disposal of his niece's body was "despicable" and "can only be described as beyond belief".

Mr Bowes said: "Somaiya was a bright young woman who was studying to get a degree, had a part-time job to support herself and was happy and content with home life.

"She had her whole life ahead of her and it was cruelly cut short by her uncle, someone who is meant to love, care and protect her.

"Khan subjected Somaiya to a horrendous attack for reasons only known to him.

"Khan went to extreme lengths to cover up his crime; he dumped her body in wasteland, showing complete disregard and disrespect for human life, with the hope that her body would never be found."

Asked why he thought Khan had killed Miss Begum, the officer said: "I don't think we will ever know. The only person that knows that is Khan himself."

Mr Bowes said he understood that a domestic homicide review was due to take place into the background to the murder.

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