Husband killed his wife in a ferocious attack in east London
A man's been found guilty of killing his wife in a ferocious knife attack at their east London home after she secretly recorded his violent abuse on her mobile phone.
Asim Hasan had claimed he didn't intent to seriously harm Aaisha when he stabbed her 36 times in Canning Town in 2022
In the weeks leading up to 34-year-old Mrs Hasan's death, the couple rowed over money, the defendant's behaviour and his accusation that she was having an affair.
Mrs Hasan had become "sufficiently scared of her husband" that she began recording him on her phone and shared her fears with friends on WhatsApp, prosecutor Joel Smith told the court.
In a folder on her phone labelled "Hidden", Mrs Hasan stored images, including of a black eye and cuts to her face, taken after Hasan was violent in February, April and 11 days before she died in May.
Last May 9, she sent a "desperate" WhatsApp message to friends, which Mr Smith said was particularly "chilling", jurors heard.
In it, she voiced fears that "he would have killed me" but for the presence of others in the house.
Mrs Hasan wrote: "I don't want to call the police on him coz this can get him into serious trouble. I just want him out the house now. I don't feel safe."
The next day, Hasan continued to accuse his wife of "cheating" despite her repeated denials, according to one recording.
In another recording, Mrs Hasan accused her husband of hitting her and said: "The next time you will kill me. The next time you will kill me, I don't want that."
On the morning of May 19, Hasan called 999 and told the operator: "I just stabbed my wife."
Mrs Hasan suffered 36 wounds in the "ferocious and really quite savage attack", Mr Smith said.
Police and paramedics arrived at the couple's home to find Mrs Hasan lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood, and she was pronounced dead at 7.20am.
A black-handled kitchen knife, which the defendant allegedly used, was found on the cooker.
After being arrested and interviewed by police, Hasan allegedly said: "I am guilty and you can charge me."
Mr Smith told jurors that, in a "cruel twist", Hasan was the one looking to have an extramarital affair, contacting a woman on a Muslim dating site days before his wife's death.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, said:
“Hasan carried out a ferocious and savage attack on his wife, stabbing her at least 26 times. Aaisha had tried to defend herself during Hasan’s frenzied attack, but she did not stand a chance against him.
“Hasan had denied murdering Aaisha, claiming he had not intended to at least cause serious harm. Thankfully, the jury disagreed and recognised the fact that you do not carry out a sustained, brutal attack such as that without, at the very least, intending to cause serious harm.”
DCI Rogers added:
“Domestic abuse is often a hidden crime and we know it remains significantly under-reported. For some people, home is not a safe place and many victims may be reluctant or fear asking for help.
“Our clear message to victims is to reach out to police or other support agencies and seek help – we will respond with sensitivity, and we will work with you to provide the appropriate support, whilst keeping you safe and dealing robustly with the perpetrator.
“If you know a friend, relative or neighbour who you believe might be a victim of domestic abuse, we would strongly urge you to report your concerns to police or Crimestoppers anonymously – your call could prevent serious harm and save someone from a dangerous, desperate situation.”
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