Couple jailed for attempting to kill stepmother

A young married couple have been jailed for attempting to kill the husband's stepmother in an attack that saw them wearing animal masks as they stabbed her and hit her with a hammer.

Wasif Hussain, 21, and Nabela Tabassum, 19, wore giraffe masks bought from Poundland during the "frenzied attack" at Arifa Nazmin's home in Kings Norton on 29 January 2024, West Midlands Police said.

They then fled Birmingham, however they were tracked down and arrested in Bolton the following day.

The husband and wife had denied attempted murder, but were found guilty and were jailed for 15 years and nine years respectively at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.

The court heard Hussain struck Ms Nazmin's head with a hammer before he strangled and stabbed her while his wife held her down - much of which was captured on a CCTV camera inside the family home.

Ms Nazmin complained to Tabassum's parents that she did not help around the house, which increased the couple's "resentment and anger" towards her, the court was told.

They planned to "burn the body", but Ms Nazmin was able to lock herself in a room and call the police after she was attacked.

In a victim impact statement, which was read in part to the court, Ms Nazmin said: "I still panic when the door is knocked, I can feel the fear in my body.

"I'm terrified they have returned to finish me off.

"I will live with this for the rest of my life."

The sentencing hearing was told the attack took place within weeks of Tabassum moving into Hussain's family home.

Prosecutor Rob Forrest told the court: "This was a planned attempt to kill Ms Nazmin in her own home.

"That attack took place against a background of broken-down familial relations."

The court heard that Hussain's mother killed herself when he was seven and he "blamed" his father, who had started a relationship with Ms Nazmin shortly before her death.

Hussain's defence barrister Andreas O'Shea also told the court there had been "some difficulties" between the victim and Hussain, which he had "taken to heart", but he was genuinely "remorseful and regretful" about the attack.

Islam Khan, defence barrister for Tabassum, said she was also "sincerely" remorseful.

Mr Forrest alleged Tabassum "clearly" knew what was going on when the pair bought two animal masks from Poundland on the day of the attack.

The couple were also captured on CCTV buying an aerosol can two days before the attempted murder, which they intended to use in their plan to burn their victim's body, the court heard.

Sentencing the pair on Friday, Judge Paul Farrer KC said: "I have no doubt you were both well aware that what you embarked upon was seriously wrong.

"This was an offence committed against a particular background by two young, immature individuals who are unlikely to commit serious incidents of violence again."

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