Two people sentenced to 22 years in prison for murdering Leeds mum

Two people have been sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison for the murder of a young Leeds mum.

Her husband Akshar Ali and his friend Yasmin Ahmed- both 27- were found guilty of Sinead's murder yesterday.

Sinead Wooding's body was discovered by joggers in Alwoodley Crags in May last year, where she had been wrapped in a duvet and set alight.

Akshar Ali was Sinead Wooding’s partner, but their relationship was coming to an end in early May 2017. An argument broke out at Yasmin's house on the 11th May 2017- and Sinead never left their alive.

Sinead had been beaten with a hammer and stabbed several times, before Ali and Ahmed stored her body in a cellar for 2 days. Police believe she may have been alive during a period of time in the cellar.

Ali and Ahmed engaged in a substantial operation to cover up the murder, including cleaning the cellar and moving and attempting to destroy the body. Sinead’s partially burned body was discovered in woodland to the north of Leeds on the third day after the murder.

Vicky Briggs was Ahmed’s housemate: she assisted in the cleaning of the scene of the murder in the cellar and in the destruction of blood-stained clothing from the murder on a bonfire. Briggs was sentenced to 4 years in prison for assisting an offender.

Statement from Sinead's family:

“It is so hard to put into words the impact that Sinead’s murder has had on us all. We are completely devastated that she has been taken away from her family and her children at such a young age and in such terrible circumstances.

“Those responsible were the people who should have been looking after and loving Sinead, especially her husband Ali. Instead these vile people murdered her in what must have been a horrific ordeal, and then treated her body disgustingly as they tried to cover up what they had done.

“We feel the pain of our loss every waking moment of every day and are still struggling to understand how another human being could be so cruel and take her life in such a horrible and brutal way. This is a pain that will never go away and the family will have to live it with for the rest of our lives.

“Sinead’s four children are having to grow up without their mum and as they get older will have to deal with knowing that their father killed their mum. No child should have to deal with that.

“Ali and Ahmed did not have the decency to admit their guilt or take responsibility for their actions which meant the family has had to sit in court and listen to the horrible truth of what they did.

“No amount of time in prison is ever going to bring Sinead back and it will never be long enough. They have taken her whole life away but they will still get to see their families. We will never forgive them for what they have done.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Spencer, who led the investigation:

“The murder of Sinead Wooding was the most horrific and brutal attack that I have ever encountered in my twenty eight years in policing. I was genuinely shocked that anyone could take the life of another human being in such a cruel and callous way.

“After the murder Ali and Ahmed, assisted by Briggs, went to great lengths to dispose of Sinead’s body and destroy any evidence of their involvement. This left her body in such a state that the family weren’t able to see her to say their final goodbyes.

“This also presented us with some very challenging circumstances to investigate. The determination of the investigation team, armed with the latest techniques, saw us quickly identify the murder scene, the additional scenes and uncover a wealth of forensic material connecting those involved to the murder.

“The weight of that evidence, which included a specially-produced 3D replica of Sinead’s skull being shown to the jury, undoubtedly secured the convictions of those involved.

“I completely understand how the conviction of these individuals will in no way lessen the pain for Sinead’s family, but I do hope it gives them some comfort to know that those responsible are beginning life sentences for this appalling crime.

Duncan Ritchie from the CPS:

“Sinead Wooding was killed with brutal ferocity. Calculated plans were made to destroy the evidence of this dreadful crime, and her body was stored for over two days in a cellar before being transported in a borrowed vehicle under cover of darkness to Adel Woods, near Leeds. There it was partially destroyed by fire.

“Forensic scientists discovered blood staining in the cellar of Yasmin Ahmed’s house: the blood bore the DNA of Sinead Wooding. Analysis of the blood spatter patterns indicated that Sinead Wooding had been killed in a ferocious attack involving at least two weapons.

“Although the injuries revealed that they were most likely a hammer and a knife, the actual weapons have never been identified. Once the murder had taken place, Ali and Ahmed attempted to cover up their crime by sending each other a series of false text messages, pretending that Sinead Wooding had left the house unharmed.

“In court the CPS was able to show that the couple’s relationship had been volatile and that Akshar Ali had been violent and controlling towards Sinead Wooding.

“This violence reached its brutal climax on the night of 11 May, when Sinead was murdered. We hope that the verdicts reached in this case are of some comfort to Sinead’s family and friends."