Man accused of murdering daughter denies being ‘domineering and violent’

A man accused of killing his daughter denied he was a ‘domineering and violent man’, as he called his wife’s mental state into question.

• Couple on trial over daughter’s murder in 2003

• Husband was said to have beaten daughter on night of alleged murder

Iftikhar Ahmed and his wife Farzana are on trial charged with murdering their 17-year-old daughter Shafilea in 2003.

The couple allegedly murdered their “Westernised” daughter because they believed her conduct was bringing shame on the family, the prosecution said.

The prosecution say that it was only last year that Shafilea’s younger sister, Alesha had revealed that she had witnessed her parents killing Shafilea at the family home.

Alesha described how her parents pushed Shafilea onto the settee in their house and she heard her mother say “Just finish it here” as they forced a plastic bag into the teenager’s mouth and suffocated her in front of their other children.

Today, Mukhtar Hussain QC, defending Mrs Ahmed, cross-examined her husband.

Mr Hussain said: “You have controlled your wife and your children and have had absolute control until very very recently haven’t you?”

“I have never had any control over anybody,” Ahmed replied.

Mr Hussain then went on to ask the defendant again about the night of September 11 when he said his wife had come downstairs to witness him slapping Shafilea in the face.

“That never happened,” Ahmed said.

He denied that his wife had asked him to sit down and calm down and he also denied hitting her, causing her to stumble on to the sofa.

He said that following his daughter’s disappearance his wife became depressed and has been on “depression tablets”.

Mr Ahmed denied that he had blamed his wife for not bringing their daughter up properly.

He also said that conversation which his wife alleges happened between them when she asked him where Shafilea was “never happened”.

“She has simply made it up has she?” Mr Hussain asked.

“I am not saying she has made it up, she is under stress,” Ahmed replied.

“I don’t know what her state of mind is at the moment.”

Mr Hussain said: “You think her mental state is in question, do you?”

He replied: “I think so, yes.”

The trial continues.