Children win £450k from father who killed mother

The children of a woman who was burned to death by her former husband have won a £450,000 court action against their father.

Adieh Yazdanparast was described as by all accounts a lovely person and a devoted mother. Picture: PA

Ahmed Yazdanparast, 61, was jailed for life last month and ordered to serve at least 19 years after he was found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh of the murder of his former 
wife Adieh.

He doused the 46-year-old in petrol and set fire to her at her hairdressing salon. The victim, who suffered 95 per cent burns, was brought out from the premises in Stirling alive and conscious by firefighters but died later that day in hospital.

The sentencing judge, Lady Wise, told Yazdanparast: “Your wife of more than 20 years was by all accounts a lovely person and a devoted mother to the three children you had together.

“Your actions have deprived those children of the company of their mother and your twin daughters now have the responsibility of looking after your teenage son.

“Mrs Yazdanparast had ended your marriage and you retaliated by embarking on a calculated plan to kill her in the most horrific attack imaginable.”

Yazdanparast, who described himself as “a British Muslim”, had denied murdering his wife and told jurors during his trial: “She was changing, becoming westernised.”

Mrs Yazdanparast’s children raised an action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh suing the killer for damages, claiming that as a result of his actions they had suffered loss, injury and damage.

The daughters, Gloria and Glara, 21, each sought £150,000 in their own right, with Gloria seeking the same sum on behalf of her 13-year-old brother as his guardian.

All three said they had suffered distress and anxiety following the attack on their mother at the Venus Hair and Beauty Salon, in Maxwell Place, Stirling, on 12 October last year.

It was said that Yazdanparast, formerly of Maxwell Place, Stirling, had behaved aggressively and inappropriately during the couple’s marriage and later threatened to kill his former wife. The couple married in Iran but ceased to cohabit in 2010.

Yazdanparast had contested the divorce action but was said to have shown “an utter disregard for due and legal process”.

A judge granted decree in favour of the children in the damages action following a brief hearing yesterday in the absence of Yazdanparast. He was not legally represented at the hearing.

Counsel for the children, Kay Springham, told Lord Stewart that it was a “rather unusual action where the pursuers are suing their father who murdered his ex-wife, their mother”.

Ms Springham said the children had taken action against their father, who had a number of assets, including the former family home, another property in Stirling and a personal pension plan.

She said notice of the action in the form of a summons was served on Yazdanparast while he was detained in the psychiatric State Hospital at Carstairs last year.