25 years for parents who murdered their daughter

Saturday 4 August 2012

TWO parents who murdered their Westernised teenage daughter in a so-called honour killing because they believed she had brought shame on the family will serve at least 25 years each in prison after being convicted of the killing.

Shafilea Ahmed was murdered by her parents in a so-called 'honour killing'.

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Paul Keaveny and Mike Hornby

Iftikhar Ahmed, 52, and his wife Farzana, 49, suffocated Shafilea, 17, with a plastic bag in front of their other children nine years ago.

Yesterday the couple were found guilty by a jury of pushing Shafilea on to the sofa in their home in Warrington, Cheshire, and forcing a plastic bag into her mouth. Farszana Ahmed was heard to say "just finish it there" as they carried out the killing.

Their trial at Chester Crown Court heard how the mother and father carried out the savage act because they thought Shafilea had brought shame on them after being torn between a Western lifestyle and their demands she wear traditional clothes and agree to an arranged marriage.Her parents had set up a suitor for their daughter in Pakistan, whom she had rebuffed.Sentencing the pair, the judge, Mr Justice Roderick Evans, told them: "Your concern about being shamed in your community was greater than the love of your child."Outside court, Shafilea's close friend Melissa Powner paid tribute to the teenager and spoke about the pain of having to watch her killers roam free since her disappearance on September 11, 2003.Her decomposed remains were found almost two years later after a number of police appeals, and she was identified by her dental records and jewellery.Ms Powner described Shafilea's character and said she would have achieved her ambition to become a lawyer had she lived.She said in her statement: "We have waited for this day for many years. We have watched as her killers roamed free. Yet today we heard those important words – words that have finally brought our friend the justice she deserves."Shafilea was a caring, high-spirited and brave young lady – who, even in her toughest times, always strived to remain positive and hopeful one day she, too, would be able to live the peaceful and happy life she deserved."Shafilea had a great sense of humour, a fun personality and great smile – and, although a cliched saying, she really could light up a room with her presence; therefore, I believe I speak for many when I say she is and always will be sadly missed.""Her beautiful face and tragic story will inspire others to seek help and make them realise this kind of vile treatment, no matter what culture or background they are from, is not acceptable."In court, Mr Ahmed stood impassively as the verdicts were given. Mrs Ahmed wiped tears from her eyes with a tissue and put her head in her hands.Three of their four surviving children, Junyad, Mevish and a younger sibling who cannot be named for legal reasons, broke down in tears.Mevish put her head in her hands and wept as the judge began discussing sentencing.As Iftikhar Ahmed was taken down to the cells, he turned to police officers and swore at them.Two post-mortem examinations failed to determine how Shafilea died, but a verdict of unlawful killing was recorded at an inquest into her death held in 2008.Police investigating the murder were so convinced the teenager had been murdered by her parents they "bugged" the family home to listen in on their conversations.The pair were recorded discussing how they could get away with murder and how best to use the media to their advantageTheir daughter Alesha, 23, had tearfully told the trial of Shafilea's last moments and how her parents repeatedly attacked and abused Shafilea as she grew up as she became increasingly Westernised.Asked what happened after she was suffocated, she said: "That was it, she was gone."Alesha went on to describe how the other children ran upstairs to their bedrooms in shock and she saw her father carry Shafilea's body to the car wrapped in a blanket.The children were later told to say nothing to the authorities, and feared they would suffer the same fate as their sister.Shafilea's decomposed remains were discovered next to a river in Cumbria in February 2004. It was not until 2010, that Alesha provided the final piece of the puzzle about her death, the court heard.Alesha's version of events was corroborated in writings her younger sister Mevish gave to a friend in 2008. These emerged shortly after the start of Alesha's evidence.Mevish, who supported her parents' defence, said her own writings were a fiction upon which Alesha based her story.Alesha's bravery was praised by Paul Whittaker, chief Crown prosecutor in the case. He said: "The statement of Alesha Ahmed, Shafilea's younger sister, was crucial to our case, and today's result is a testament to her courage over the last two years."

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25 years for parents who murdered their daughter

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