Lying gambler who murdered his doctor wife gets 15 years

Published on Monday 31 August 2009 20:06

A MAN who murdered his doctor wife in front of her nine-year-old son has been jailed for life.

Nabeel Khan strangled Dr Iffat Kamal, 39, during an argument on 10 December last year at their home in Dundee. The pathologist died 10 days later in the city's Ninewells Hospital, where she had worked.

At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, Khan, 45, was ordered to spend at least 15 years behind bars before being eligible for release.

And the trial judge, Lord Hardie, castigated Khan, 45, a heavy gambler, for trying to blame Dr Iffat Kamal's drinking for difficulties in their marriage.

Lord Hardie said: "It seems to me the allegations were no more than an attempt to discredit her."

The fatal attack was partially witnessed by the couple's toddler son, and Dr Kamal's nine-year-old son by a previous relationship.

The children are now with Dr Kamal's family in India, and Lord Hardie told Khan: "It is impossible to know what psychological harm you have caused both of these boys but, hopefully, they will benefit from the care of their maternal relatives."

Khan married Dr Kamal in 2006 after they had met through a matrimonial website aimed at people from the Indian subcontinent.

They settled in Dundee and had a child but problems arose and the killing occurred during a row at their home in the city's Simpson Court.

At his trial, Khan pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of culpable homicide, suggesting he was suffering from diminished responsibility. He claimed to remember the build-up and the aftermath, but not the details of the attack itself.

Passing sentence yesterday, Lord Hardie said the incident had started in the hall. Dr Kamal's son, Areeb, had heard the sound of a blow.

"When he went into the hallway, you were crushing his mother's neck as she was screaming and trying to get free. He shouted to you to stop, but you did not. He shouted again, and this time you did stop. His mother had lost consciousness and you dragged her into the living room," said Lord Hardie.

The attack continued in the living room, and the couple's son, Ayaan, three, was present.

The judge added:

"Your wife was a successful professional person who appeared to be the principal breadwinner in the house. You had a gambling habit.

You used her credit card fraudulently for the purpose of spread betting when she was in India.

"She was understandably unhappy about that. Whatever the causes of your marital difficulties, they did not justify or mitigate the murder of your wife."

Lord Hardie said he would order that Khan, a German citizen, serve 15 years before he could apply for parole, and would recommend deportation at the end of his sentence.