Glasgow duo get 23 years for ‘brutal murder’

AN EVIL couple who murdered a man by almost hacking his head off whilst a 12-year-old girl watched have been jailed for life.

Both Saima Gul, 30, and Fazli Rahim, 41, were told at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday they would have to serve at least 23 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole.

The pair murdered Mohammed Noor at a house in Pollok, Glasgow, in May 2012. The court heard how the young girl watched as the couple attempted to use a knife to cut Mr Noor’s head off.

She looked on helplessly as they repeatedly plunged a blade into Mr Noor’s stomach.

When police caught up with Gul, she tried to help her husband evade justice by lying for him. But detectives saw through her lies and eventually arrested the pair.

On Thursday, temporary judge Michael O’Grady, QC, said the murder was one of the worst cases he had ever encountered.

The pair were convicted after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow last month – sentence had been deferred until this week in order for the court to obtain reports.

Passing sentence, Mr O’Grady said he couldn’t guarantee the two murderers would ever be released from prison.

The judge also noted remarks that had been made into a report by social workers which had been commissioned by the court in a bid to understand the crime.

The report’s author said they were not convinced that Gul and Rahim were sorry for the brutal attack.

He added: “You have been convicted of a most terrible and cruel crime – it is one of the worst murders that I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. Nobody will ever know the true reasons behind why Mohammed Noor died – only one thing is certain; he would have died in pain and terror.

“The punishment part of the sentence must reflect the terrible and cruel nature of your crime. Neither of you has shown any remorse or a flicker of 
concern for anyone beyond yourselves. “

Gul, a prisoner of HMP Cornton Vale, and Rahim, a prisoner of HMP Low Moss, near Glasgow, were convicted of murder following a 22-day trial earlier this year.

At the first set of proceedings, the court heard from the 12-year-old girl who witnessed the terrible crime.

Giving evidence via video link, the girl said she saw Gul and Rahim attacking Mr Noor.

She told the court that the killers were struggling with Mr Noor when they told her to get a knife and hammer.

The jury was told she heard screams before seeing Gul and Rahim on top of Mr Noor, whose head was “almost completely cut off”.

The youngster said she was told to get a knife from the kitchen before being ordered to get a “bigger” blade.

The court heard that Gul lied to the police about what actually happened in a bid to protect her partner.

Rahim claimed he acted in self defence.