Latest news with #WestYorkshire
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Chilling moment 'jealous' YouTuber stalks his wife to domestic abuse shelter before brutally stabbing her to death as she pushed their son in pram - as he's convicted of her murder
A 'violent, jealous, controlling' husband who stabbed his wife to death as she pushed their seven-month-old baby in a pram has been convicted of murder. 'Smiling killer' Habibur Masum, 26, tracked down Kulsuma Akter, 27, to a women's refuge after she forgot to turn off her location on Snapchat. He then confronted her on a street in Bradford, West Yorkshire last April, where in a savage broad daylight attack, he repeatedly plunged the blade into his screaming partner, stabbing her more than 25 times before slitting her throat. Afterwards, Masum was captured on CCTV grinning as he boarded a bus to make his escape, having left his wife for dead and abandoning their baby in the street. The jury heard obsessive Masum banned his wife from wearing makeup, was constantly checking her mobile phone and stopped her drinking tea, because he didn't like the drink. Her killing came just five months after 'cold-blooded' Masum had chillingly warned his wife 'I am going to murder you'. Masum, of Burnley, already pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article, but had denied a charge of murder. However, a jury at Bradford Crown Court today convicted the 'abusive' 26-year-old of murder. He was also convicted of assault, making threats to kill, and stalking, and now faces life in prison. Masum wiped away tears in the dock after a jury returned a unanimous verdict following five hours and 40 minutes of deliberation. During his trial, the court heard how the couple met and married in Bangladesh, and came to the UK in 2022 after Masum obtained a student visa and enrolled on a masters course to study marketing. But the couple's relationship soon broke down in November 2023 after 18 months of marriage, which had seen Masum making threats to kill his partner in July of that year. Today it can be revealed Masum would have been locked up less than four months before the murder if warnings by the CPS had been heeded. On November 26, 2023 he was charged with assault by beating and making threats to kill against Ms Akter at their then home in Oldham. Two days earlier the jealous student had come at his terrified wife armed with a knife after flying into a rage over an innocuous text message she had received from a colleague. Masum demanded 'tell me what your relationship is with him, or I will kill you' and put the knife to her throat as she cradled their baby. Frightened for her life and fearing he would cut her throat, she clutched her son to her in a desperate hope that he wouldn't attack her. The day before, in what the trial heard was a chilling forewarning of what was to come, he had told her: 'I am going to murder you, and the police will be taking me.' Masum was arrested and his wife was allocated a social worker, confiding to her she feared he was going to kill her. When he appeared from police custody at Tameside Magistrates' Court on November 27, 2023, entering not guilty pleas, the Crown Prosecution Service argued he should remain locked up. But fatefully magistrates instead granted him bail on condition he did not contact Ms Akter and another person or go to her address. She and her son were placed in a refuge in what was meant to be a secret location in Bradford. Meanwhile her estranged husband - a free man due to the court's decision - dedicated himself to tracking her down. On March 28, 2024, West Yorkshire Police were informed she'd been receiving death threats. Officers passed 'intelligence' to colleagues in Greater Manchester on March 31, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said today. But on April 6 - two days before she was due to be rehoused - and believing her estranged husband was in Spain, Ms Atker 'felt safe to leave the refuge'. However, at 3pm Ms Akter - who was walking with a friend while pushing her seven-month-old son in a pram - was shocked to be confronted by Masum, Bradford Crown Court heard. CCTV footage played in court showed Masum walking with Ms Akter until he stopped her, then spinning her and the pram around before pulling a knife from his jacket. Prosecutor Steven Wood KC said: 'He grabs Kulsuma and pushes her into a wall, stabbing her to the body. 'You will see that Kulsuma then goes to the ground only for the defendant to launch a ferocious and deadly attack. 'When the defendant had finished stabbing her, as a final act of sheer gratuitous violence, he kicks Kulsuma before moving away, but not before ensuring that he disposed of the knife.' The court heard Ms Akter suffered multiple stab wounds to her body and face including a wound to the neck which partly cut her windpipe and severed her left jugular vein. Mr Wood said her killing represented 'cold-blooded, calculated, pre-meditated murder'. During his closing speech on Monday, the prosecutor told jurors the defendant appeared to revel in his crime, grinning after he left his wife dying. Jurors were shown Masum walking through Bradford after the attack, with Mr Woods saying there were no signs of him being 'distressed', as he had claimed in his evidence. Mr Wood told the court a close-up of Masum getting on a bus showed him smiling, which 'removed all possible doubt' about his 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.' Mr Wood said that although Masum was suffering from depression at the time, this did not provide an explanation for the savage slaughter of his partner. 'It was not his depression which caused him to kill Kulsuma, it was his other longstanding personality traits of controlling behaviour, jealousy and paranoia. She had rejected him. She had to die,' he said. 'And were there any residual thought that this was about seeing his son - having left his wife literally in the gutter, bleeding to death, he leaves his son alone. 'He could so easily have walked away with him. But he knew if he walked away with that pram it would increase his chances of getting caught. 'But he very quickly got himself out of the area and down to Aylesbury. 'In the meantime he changed his appearance - shaved his beard, cut his hair, changed his clothing.' Mr Wood said the marriage between Masum and Ms Akter was 'an abusive relationship characterised by his jealousy, possessiveness and controlling behaviour with violence being both used and threatened'. 'He is a man who resorts to violence... and when he resorts to actual violence, it's with a knife,' he added. Earlier, the court heard evidence from Ms Akter's sister-in-law, who said Masum had stopped his wife wearing make-up and would regularly check her phone to see who she was talking to. A statement from Minara Begum read in court explained Ms Akter had to ask permission from her husband before going out. She said they 'both seemed happy' and Masum appeared 'quite obsessed with' Ms Akter, who started working at Park Cakes in Oldham. Ms Begum added: 'Masum was not too keen on Kulsuma working but she would worry about paying the bills. 'I told her she could enhance her beauty even more with the right make-up ... Masum would get jealous if he saw photos and told her not to do make-up any more, so she didn't.' Jurors heard how arguments soon escalated to a 'more serious level' before Ms Akter tried to escape, going to stay with her brother and sister-in-law at one point. Ms Begum said: 'He kept messaging her telling he was going to do crazy things because she was with us and not at home, and kept asking her where the kitchen knife was. 'After this happened I told Masum his behaviour was not right and their relationship should not be this way. 'Masum did not like this coming from a woman or me speaking to him this way. He did not like me very much.' Jurors heard Ms Akter returned to Masum, but arguments between them 'got worse after the baby was born' and Ms Akter 'always complained he wasn't helping her with the baby and always expected his food to be prepared after work'. However, warnings of the explosive nature of the couple's relationship were seen right at the beginning of their marriage. Jurors heard that more than a year before he murdered his wife, Masum had told a doctor he 'felt like he would kill her'. The trial heard that in August 2022 Masum was found by police at a tram station, where he had stayed all night after an argument with Ms Akter. He was taken to hospital where he told a doctor 'I feel like I would kill her' and said 'when he fights with her he feels like he is going to kill her'. Medical notes showed he 'disclosed thoughts to harm himself and his girlfriend and admitted to carrying a knife while having these thoughts'. Masum told the trial he had never carried a knife in Ms Akter's presence. Asked by his barrister Frida Hussain KC why he had made those comments at the hospital, he replied: 'I said: 'I feel I'm having some mental health issues and I would like to share something with the doctor'... I just wanted to share all that with the doctor.' The defendant, who gave evidence through a Bengali interpreter, told the court the couple had 'occasional disagreements or arguments' about when they should live together and she would 'block him' when she was angry. Masum said: 'I used to feel if I can't be with her I would die.' Masum said during the trial he had taken a knife with him on the day he killed Ms Akter because he intended to stab himself if she did not 'listen to him'. Mr Wood said the 26-year-old's threats of self-harm were 'empty threats', adding: 'He has never made an attempt on his own life, he has never harmed himself. These are examples of his emotional blackmail.' He told jurors that during the fatal attack on Ms Akter, Masum put her on the ground, stabbed her 'many, many' times, kicked her 'as a final insult'' then took hold of the back of her head and cut her throat. Mr Wood said: 'Such a brutal and violent assault by the defendant, culminating in a deliberate cutting of his wife's throat, only points to an intention to kill. That is what he wanted, that is what he did.' Today the IOPC said its investigations into Ms Akter's prior contact with both the Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire forces had found no breaches of professional standards. Its director Emily Barry said: 'Our thoughts remain with Ms Akter's family and friends, who have lost a loved one in tragic circumstances, as well as all those affected by this deeply distressing incident. 'This was a harrowing case which caused widespread understandable concern. 'It was appropriate we carried out a thorough investigation into the relevant contact between police and Ms Akter.' Masum will be sentenced next month.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Enormous house explosion that put two in hospital 'was caused by gas used to make super-strength cannabis oil'
An enormous house explosion that hospitalised two people is suspected to have been 'caused by gas used to make a super-strength cannabis oil'. The blast on Thursday in Spring Hall Grove, Halifax, West Yorkshire, has left two men in a critical condition, with a 'large number of butane gas canisters' found in the wreckage. Up to 14 homes were evacuated by the explosion that appeared to rip off at least one home, sending debris into the streets. Now, the significant number of butane gas canisters found at the scene are believed to be evidence of mass production of Butane Hash Oil (BHO), a strong and concentrated cannabis extract. Known for its high THC levels, often exceeding those of traditional cannabis, the drug is typically consumed through dabbing, a relatively new method of ingesting the substance. Produced through a chemical process that uses butane to extract the oils from cannabis, the drug process has gained increased popularity across the UK, USA and Australia. Photographs taken in the immediate aftermath of the explosion showed hundreds of gas cannisters scattered across the scene, appearing to have been stored in an upstairs bedroom. In an updated statement on the explosion, West Yorkshire Police confirmed that a 'large number of butane gas cannisters' had been found at the property and that they were 'forming part of our ongoing enquiries'. The force, who said they were working alongside West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in investigating the fire's circumstances, also confirmed that two adult males had been taken to hospital with 'serious injuries' and that they 'remain in hospital in a critical condition'. Detective Chief Inspector Clare Smith added: 'We understand that there will be speculation in the community about what has happened and the cause of this explosion. 'We are working alongside specialist fire investigators to ensure a comprehensive investigation is carried out into this incident.' One local witness, who lives around 20 metres from the blast, described the explosion as 'like a nuclear bomb going off'. They added: Everyone was screaming "get out of the house". 'I got my kids out and we went in the back. There's bricks and tiles in the street, all the cars are dented, and there are butane gas canisters in the street. 'There was a family with children living next door to the house and a middle-aged woman with a dog. 'Our house was shaking and could feel the whole thing tremble when the first bang went off. The force, who said they were working alongside West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in investigating the fire's circumstances, also confirmed that two adult males had been taken to hospital with 'serious injuries' and that they 'remain in hospital in a critical condition' Pictured: the aftermath of the explosion which caused a huge fire with flames and smoke erupting into the sky 'I looked outside and there was fire everywhere.' Meanwhile, Sheena Bashir was awoken by the blast which happened less than a minute's walk from her home. Describing the explosion as 'unreal', she said: 'You see stuff like that in the movies, not round here. 'I was asleep and then I heard something like a bomb had gone off. I looked out of the window and could see the house was absolutely lit.' While Mrs Bashir was on the phone to the emergency services, smaller bangs after the initial blast could be heard. She said: 'There was one big bang and a lot of smaller ones.' Sophie Storer, 19, only moved to the street two weeks ago, and saw the flames after the explosion. She told MEN: 'I went upstairs about 12 and heard a massive bang. I looked out my window and I just saw red and orange rising up. 'My mum and Bougie were asleep. They came upstairs and we started filming to see what was going on.' Produced through a chemical process that uses butane to extract the oils from cannabis, the drug process of Butane Hash Oil (BHO) has gained increased popularity across the UK, USA and Australia. 'It's my birthday today and it's going to be a memorable one. It was a birthday with a bang for sure.' Shakes Hussain, 40, added: 'All the houses were shaking. I heard a big bang and then it was straight fire. 'It sounded like a big blast. I was scared, could hear people screaming. I got no sleep because I was scared and worried.' In a previous statement, West Yorkshire Police said that they had been called to the property at Coventry Street, Halifax, at 12.04am. They also confirmed that two people from one property had been taken to hospital with serious injuries, while a third person, from another property, had received treatment for minor injuries. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: 'We sent five crews, plus the technical rescue and command unit. 'The explosion had affected six houses. Crews used large jets and an aerial ladder to extinguish the fire' A police corden continues to remain in place on Coventry Street as Northern Powergrid employees continue to work in and evacuated terraced properties. Meanwhile, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: 'We sent five crews, plus the technical rescue and command unit. 'The explosion had affected six houses. Crews used large jets and an aerial ladder to extinguish the fire. 'Three people were taken to hospital.' A police corden continues to remain in place on Coventry Street as Northern Powergrid employees continue to work in and evacuated terraced properties. Northern Gas Networks previously said it was assisting but that the incident was 'not suspected to be related to our network'.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Gas canisters found in house explosion wreckage
A large number of gas canisters have been found in the wreckage of a house following an explosion which left two men critically injured. Emergency services were called to reports of a blast at a terraced house in Coventry Street, Halifax, in the early hours of Thursday, followed by a series of smaller bangs. West Yorkshire Police said a "large number" of butane gas containers had been found at the property, adding that it expected there to be "speculation in the community" about the cause. Northern Gas Network, who also attended on Thursday, said the incident was "not suspected to be related to our network". Det Ch Insp Clare Smith said: "We understand that there will be speculation in the community about what has happened and the cause of this explosion. "We can confirm that a large number of butane gas cannisters were found in the property and these form part of our ongoing enquiries. "We are working alongside specialist fire investigators to ensure a comprehensive investigation is carried out into this incident." Northern Gas Networks said it had disconnected the gas supply to 14 properties in the area at the request of emergency services. It added: "We are working closely with the emergency services to support the incident, which is not suspected to be related to our network." CCTV footage from a nearby house captured the explosion before people could be seen running from their homes and shouting "get out of the house". Police confirmed the two critically hurt men, who had been in the same house, remained in hospital. A third person received treatment for minor injuries at the scene. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Three injured after house explosion and fire West Yorkshire Police Northern Gas Networks
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Gas canisters found in Halifax house explosion wreckage
A large number of gas canisters have been found in the wreckage of a house following an explosion which left two men critically services were called to reports of a blast at a terraced house in Coventry Street, Halifax, in the early hours of Thursday, followed by a series of smaller Yorkshire Police said a "large number" of butane gas containers had been found at the property, adding that it expected there to be "speculation in the community" about the Gas Network, who also attended on Thursday, said the incident was "not suspected to be related to our network". Det Ch Insp Clare Smith said: "We understand that there will be speculation in the community about what has happened and the cause of this explosion."We can confirm that a large number of butane gas cannisters were found in the property and these form part of our ongoing enquiries."We are working alongside specialist fire investigators to ensure a comprehensive investigation is carried out into this incident."Northern Gas Networks said it had disconnected the gas supply to 14 properties in the area at the request of emergency added: "We are working closely with the emergency services to support the incident, which is not suspected to be related to our network."CCTV footage from a nearby house captured the explosion before people could be seen running from their homes and shouting "get out of the house".Police confirmed the two critically hurt men, who had been in the same house, remained in hospital. A third person received treatment for minor injuries at the scene. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Community rallies round Rothwell cafe after break-in
A cafe owner has thanked well-wishers for their support after her business was broken into while she attended a of messages have been left on boards used to cover up damage at Gray's Coffee Shop, in Rothwell, following the burglary on 20 Heather Amos, 49, said she had returned from the funeral to find the cafe's windows and doors smashed, with the till and staff tips to the messages and poems written on the hoardings she said: "It's nice to be able to find something good come out of something so rubbish." "We feel really lucky. Rothwell is a lovely community," she added."[The break-in] was a real shock and I think it was a shock to many of the customers too."People were rallying around to help and the boards have been so lovely to read. It's overwhelming."You're never going to be a millionaire owning a coffee shop, you don't earn a huge amount, but I do it because I love it."West Yorkshire Police has asked anyone with information or who may have relevant footage to come forward. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
