Friday 11 February 2011

New Husband Killed Father-In-Law And Slashed Mum-In-Law In Horror Knife Attack


An Internet groom, who killed his father-in-law in a "frenzied" knife attack, also slashing his mother-in-law's throat in front of his own two year-old son, was sentenced to life imprisonment today.


Abbas Burhanpurwala, 32, of Copsewood, Werrington, Peterborough, stabbed Ismail Thathia, 58, twenty-five times, using a second kitchen knife after the first snapped in two.


He pleaded pleaded guilty to murdering Mr. Thathia, on September 27, last year and inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, on Jaitunbia Thathia, 56, at the family home in Chatsfield, Werrington.


"He was killed in his own home in front of his wife and two year-old grandson by a frenzied attack carried out by this defendant," prosecutor Mr. Jonathan Seely told Southwark Crown Court.


Indian-born Thomas Cook call centre worker Burhanpurwala enjoyed an Internet romance with the couple's daughter Sabera and they gave the thumbs-up to an arranged marriage in 2007.


However, Burhanpurwala became increasingly angered by his wife's long hours at the family's successful Peterborough phone shop and Sabera described him as "possessive", "controlling" and prone to "temper tantrums."


He had even threatened to kill himself and the couple's son Ayaz and once drank cleaning fluid.


Burhanpurwala - obsessed by the prospect of losing his wife and child - arrived at the family home around 2pm, but flew into a violent rage when Mr. Thathia said: "I will call the police."


"The defendant started punching Mr. Thathia in the face, causing him to fall back," explained Mr. Seely. "He got a bread knife from the kitchen and stabbed him to the left side of the chest and the blade broke.


"He got another knife from the kitchen and stabbed Mrs Thathia to the neck, causing blood to pour out.


"The sole purpose of that attack was to enable the defendant to return to the frenzied attack on Mr. Thathia.


As Mrs Thathia stumbled out the front door with a life-threatening wound to her jugular vein Burhanpurwala continued stabbing her husband, leaving the dining-room and hallway splattered with blood.


He received fatal stab wounds to the neck, chest and abdomen.


Mrs Thathia was treated at Peterborough District Hospital and to this day can only eat via a tube inserted in her nose.


A lady passer-by who found her coughing up blood in the street knocked on the front door and Burhanpurwala told her: "Get the police. Tell them what I have done. They tried to take my son away."


The bloodstained defendant hailed an arriving police car confessing "I did it" and told officers through tears: "I would never have done it if she hadn't taken the kid."


Burhanpurwala's lawyer Corrine Ransom told the court: "Mr. Burhanpurwala is deeply, deeply and heartfeltly full of remorse and is aware of the devastation he has brought on the family.


"He was very excited about starting a new life in England, but he was a somewhat isolated man and never developed friendships outside the family.


"He is going to lose his wife and son and by his acts that day he has brought about what he dreaded."


Mr Justice Saunders recommended Burhanpurwala serve a seventeen-and-a-half year minimum before he is considered for parole announcing: "This defendant killed his father-in-law by stabbing him a number of times.


"He also stabbed his mother-in-law, causing serious injuries that she will continue to suffer from for a long time.


"The family have also been devastated by the loss they have suffered. The defendant's son has lost a grandfather and effectively lost a father.


"I accept it is this defendant's fear of losing his son that caused him to react like this on this particular day."

Detective Inspector Dave Grierson said: "This tragic incident was the culmination of a domestic situation but the circumstances in no way justify the violence used by Burhanpurwala."

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