Mother killed in 'ferocious' attack, trial told

A mother was stabbed to death in a "cold blooded, calculated, premeditated murder" as she pushed her baby in a pram, a court has heard.

Kulsuma Akter, 27, from Oldham, died after she suffered multiple stab wounds to her body and face outside a shop on Westgate in Bradford city centre in April 2024. The baby was unharmed.

Ms Akter's husband, Habibur Masum, 26, of Leamington Avenue, Burnley, has pleaded guilty to her manslaughter and to possession of a bladed article, but has denied a charge of murder.

On the opening day of Mr Masum's trial, a jury at Bradford Crown Court saw CCTV footage showing what the prosecution described as "a ferocious and ultimately deadly attack".

Prosecuting, Mr Stephen Wood KC said that having stabbed Ms Akter, Mr Masum moved away from the scene and "left her for dead without a second thought for her or, indeed, the baby".

The court heard that Ms Akter was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary, but died a short time later from a combination of a stab wound to the neck and blood loss.

The prosecution said the pair were married for about 18 months, but at the time of her death, Ms Akter had been housed in a refuge to escape her husband's "violence, jealousy and controlling behaviour".

Mr Wood said she had told a social worker she believed her husband would kill her.

He told the court that in November 2023, Mr Masum became jealous over a "completely innocuous" message Ms Akter had received from a male colleague, grabbing her face, slapping her and pulling her hair.

"He told Kulsuma, 'I am going to murder you, and the police will be taking me'," Mr Wood said.

The next day, after coming home from work, Mr Masum went into their bedroom and held a knife to her throat, for which he was later arrested, jurors heard.

At the time of the fatal stabbing, Mr Masum was subject to court bail conditions to keep away from his wife following charges of assault by beating and making a threat to kill.

The jury heard that Mr Masum had sent Ms Akter a snapchat video of Bradford Interchange eight days before the fatal attack, with a message saying he had "come to her town".

Mr Wood said Mr Masum later sent another photograph, depicting the refuge where she was staying, with the words, "I know that you are living in this place."

Arrangements were being made to rehouse Ms Akter, but she was killed on 6 April, two days before she was due to move, the jury was told.

Mr Wood said Mr Masum was arrested in a car park near Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire three days after Ms Akter's death, following police appeals.

He told the court he anticipated the thrust of Mr Masum's defence would be to suggest he was "suffering from an abnormality of mind, or that he lost control of himself in some way".

Mr Wood said Mr Masum "cannot bring himself to admit what he has done".

Mr Masum has denied a charge of murder, assault by beating, making a threat to kill and stalking.

The trial continues.

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