Parents charged with murder in suspected honour killing

THE parents of a suspected honour killing victim yesterday appeared in court charged with their daughter’s murder.

Shafilea Ahmed’s decomposed remains were discovered on the banks of a river in Cumbria in February 2004. She disappeared from her home in Warrington, Cheshire, in September 2003.

South Cumbria coroner Ian Smith recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, saying he believed the 17-year-old had probably been murdered.

Yesterday, Cheshire Police charged Miss Ahmed’s father, Iftikhar, 51, and mother Farzana, 48, with murder. The couple, of Liverpool Road, Warrington, were remanded to appear before Halton Magistrates’ Court, Runcorn.

The court heard that the couple had been charged with murdering their daughter on 11 September, 2003 in Cheshire.

They appeared in the dock and spoke only to confirm their names and addresses.