A man seen “smiling” on CCTV after stabbing his wife to death as she pushed their seven-month-old baby in a pram has been found guilty of murder.
Habibur Masum, 26, launched the “ferocious” attack on 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter after tracing her to a refuge where she went to escape his “violence, jealousy and controlling behaviour”, a court heard.
She suffered more than 25 knife injuries in the attack after Masum found her through her phone location and confronted her in a street in Bradford, West Yorkshire, on 6 April last year.
Kulsuma Akter was stabbed to death in Bradford. Pic: Family handout/PA
After fleeing the scene, he got on a bus where CCTV footage showed him smiling, prosecutor Steve Wood KC told Bradford Crown Court.
He said the image “removed all possible doubt” about his intent and state of mind.
“There were no tears, there was no distress. Perhaps, members of the jury, the smile you can clearly see form as he gets on that bus is as a result of him thinking at that point he’s getting away. The smiling killer,” he told the court.
Habibur Masum and Kulsuma Akter. Pic: West Yorkshire Police
Habibur Masum on a bus prior to the murder. Pic: West Yorkshire Police/PA
Masum was arrested 150 miles away in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, after a four-day manhunt.
He previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a knife but denied murder, claiming he had intended to kill himself in front of his wife but “totally lost control”.
On Friday, Masum was also convicted of one count of assault, making threats to kill, and one charge of stalking. He was cleared of another charge of assault.
He had no visible reaction as the verdicts were read out. Judge Mr Justice Cotter told him he will be sentenced on 22 July, when the minimum term for his life sentence will be decided.
The court heard Masum had previously held a knife to his wife’s throat and threatened to kill her, while Ms Akter told a social worker she “believed that one day her husband would kill her”.
He was subject to court bail conditions ordering him to keep away from her at the time of the killing.
Masum seen smiling on CCTV. Pic: West Yorkshire Police
3pm attack in front of onlookers
Prosecutor Steve Wood KC told the jury Masum tracked Ms Akter to Bradford and, days before the attack, tried to lure her into leaving the refuge by pretending to be from a GP’s surgery and offering her fake appointments.
She was walking with a friend and pushing her son in a pram at 3pm when she was confronted by Masum, who she thought was in Spain.
CCTV showed Masum walking with Ms Akter until he stopped her, spun her and the pram around, and pulled a knife from his jacket.
“He tried to encourage Kulsuma back into the relationship,” West Yorkshire Police’s senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson said outside court after the verdict.
“When she dismissed that, he took the knife and repeatedly stabbed her in front of horrified onlookers. He left her there to die. He walked away and utilised public transport to facilitate his escape out of Bradford.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘He walked away and left her there to die’
Ms Akter fell to the ground after being stabbed in the ferocious and deadly attack”, described by Mr Wood as a “cold-blooded, calculated, premeditated murder”.
“As a final act of sheer gratuitous violence, he kicks Kulsuma before moving away, but not before ensuring that he disposed of the knife,” he said.
Ms Akter suffered multiple stab injuries to her body and face, including a wound to the neck, the court heard.
Masum was arrested more than 150 miles away from where the incident took place
Claims he wanted to ‘kill himself in front of her’
Giving evidence through a Bengali interpreter, Masum told the jury he tracked down his wife “still optimistic” he could save his marriage, but if that did not work he thought “I will just kill myself in front of her”.
He broke down in tears as he said, “I totally lost control”, later saying that the next thing he could remember was walking along the road with bloodstains on his hand.
Masum walking away after the attack. Pic: West Yorkshire Police/PA
Speaking after the court hearing, West Yorkshire Police’s DCI Atkinson said: “Kulsuma suffered a brutal attack in broad daylight whilst her baby son was in his pram.
“Masum carried out the murder then calmly walked away as if nothing had happened. He left the scene and made his way out of the city to try and escape justice.
“Kulsuma’s family have been left absolutely devastated by her death, I hope today’s conviction will bring them a sense of justice in knowing that the man responsible for her death has been found guilty.”
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
