Man tracked down his wife after she fled home and stabbed her 26 times as she pushed their baby in pram, murder trial told

Kulsuma Akter was 27 and from Oldham

A mother suffered more than 25 knife injuries in a 'ferocious' attack by her husband while she was pushing their months-old baby in a pram, a murder trial heard.

Kulsuma Akter, 27 and from Oldham, was confronted in the street by Habibur Masum, 26, who had tracked her to a refuge in Bradford where she was staying to escape his 'violence, jealousy and controlling behaviour', jurors were told.

On Wednesday, a court heard Ms Akter sustained at least 26 knife injuries in the attack, which happened in front of their seven-month-old son, who she had been walking in his pram.

Pathologist Dr Kirsten Hope said she found 15 stab wounds and at least 11 incised wounds on Ms Akter’s face, body and arms. An incised wound is longer than it is deep, while a stab wound is deeper than it is wide.

Dr Hope said some of the injuries to Ms Akter’s arm and hand appeared to be defensive injuries which happened while she was trying to protect her face from the weapon.

She told Bradford Crown Court the cause of death was a wound to Ms Akter’s neck, which penetrated both the windpipe and a major vein, causing massive blood loss. The witness also said that “at least moderate force” would have been used to inflict the injuries.

A statement from Pc Christopher Goodwin, who attended the scene, said the knife was found in a car park behind a shop near where the attack had taken place on April 6 last year.

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Jurors have heard Ms Akter had been moved from her home in Oldham to a refuge in Bradford in January after telling police Masum had assaulted her, held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her over a “completely innocuous” message from a male colleague.

Opening the case to jurors on Monday, prosecutor Stephen Wood KC said Masum had tracked his wife to her new accommodation and confronted her while she was walking with their baby in the street, launching a “ferocious and deadly attack”.

Masum denies murdering Ms Akter, but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a knife. He also denies two charges of assault, one count of making threats to kill and one charge of stalking.

The trial continues.

• Proceeding.

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