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| Rania Alayed murder: Husband jailed for 'honour killing' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man has been jailed for life for the "pre-planned honour killing" of his wife, whose body has never been found. | |
| Mother-of-three Rania Alayed, 25, from Manchester, went missing last June. | Mother-of-three Rania Alayed, 25, from Manchester, went missing last June. |
| Ahmed Al-Khatib, told Manchester Crown Court that he killed her in self-defence after an evil spirit entered her, but he denied murder. | |
| Al Khatib, 35, of Gorton, was handed a minimum term of 20 years. His brothers Muhaned and Hussain were also jailed for helping to dispose of her body. | |
| The prosecution said Ms Alayed had been killed for becoming "too westernised" and "establishing an independent life". | The prosecution said Ms Alayed had been killed for becoming "too westernised" and "establishing an independent life". |
| Greater Manchester Police's Det Ch Insp Phil Reade said her death had been an "honour killing" and added that "the irony is that this horrific act of self-pity brought nothing but shame on him and his family". | Greater Manchester Police's Det Ch Insp Phil Reade said her death had been an "honour killing" and added that "the irony is that this horrific act of self-pity brought nothing but shame on him and his family". |
| Muhaned Al Khatib, 38, denied murder but, along with his brother, admitted perverting the course of justice by transporting and concealing Ms Alayed's body. He was given a three-year sentence. | |
| He told police Ms Alayed had been buried at the side of a layby on the A19 in North Yorkshire. | He told police Ms Alayed had been buried at the side of a layby on the A19 in North Yorkshire. |
| Muhaned, of Arthur Millwood Court, Salford, was found not guilty of her murder. | |
| A third brother, Hussain Al-Khatib, 34, of Knutsford Road, Gorton, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and jailed for four years. | |
| Elaborate deception | Elaborate deception |
| Jurors took four days to reach their verdicts. | |
| During the trial at Manchester Crown Court, Ahmed Al-Khatib admitted he had been unhappy when his wife started college and began wearing make-up. | During the trial at Manchester Crown Court, Ahmed Al-Khatib admitted he had been unhappy when his wife started college and began wearing make-up. |
| The jury heard Al-Khatib murdered Ms Alayed, who previously lived in Norton, Teesside, at his brother's flat in Salford. | The jury heard Al-Khatib murdered Ms Alayed, who previously lived in Norton, Teesside, at his brother's flat in Salford. |
| Al-Khatib claimed he saw his wife as an evil spirit and that as he pushed her away she hit her head against a mirror, knocking her unconscious and killing her. | Al-Khatib claimed he saw his wife as an evil spirit and that as he pushed her away she hit her head against a mirror, knocking her unconscious and killing her. |
| The court heard he then began an elaborate deception to convince her family and friends she was still alive. | The court heard he then began an elaborate deception to convince her family and friends she was still alive. |
| CCTV showed Al-Khatib wearing a headscarf in an attempt to pass himself off as Ms Alayed. | CCTV showed Al-Khatib wearing a headscarf in an attempt to pass himself off as Ms Alayed. |
| He, along with his brothers, then messaged and texted her friends and family, trying to convince them she was still alive. | He, along with his brothers, then messaged and texted her friends and family, trying to convince them she was still alive. |
| 'Sickening and chilling' | 'Sickening and chilling' |
| Mr Reade said Ms Alayed was "beginning to put an abusive and violent relationship behind her and had genuine cause to be optimistic for the future". | Mr Reade said Ms Alayed was "beginning to put an abusive and violent relationship behind her and had genuine cause to be optimistic for the future". |
| "But her husband snatched it all away in the cruellest and most despicable way possible." | "But her husband snatched it all away in the cruellest and most despicable way possible." |
| He said Ms Alayed's murder was "both sickening and chilling in the extreme" and that Al-Khatib's claim that a spirit was about to attack him was "both insulting to Rania's memory and counter to all the evidence of a pre-planned honour killing". | He said Ms Alayed's murder was "both sickening and chilling in the extreme" and that Al-Khatib's claim that a spirit was about to attack him was "both insulting to Rania's memory and counter to all the evidence of a pre-planned honour killing". |
| "Make no mistake, this was an honour killing - Al-Khatib's murderous actions were motivated by his outrage and jealousy that Rania would attempt to take control of her own life and live a more westernised life." | "Make no mistake, this was an honour killing - Al-Khatib's murderous actions were motivated by his outrage and jealousy that Rania would attempt to take control of her own life and live a more westernised life." |
| He added that the force would "employ the most hi-tech methods" to continue the search for Ms Alayed's body so "she can be given the dignified burial she deserves". | He added that the force would "employ the most hi-tech methods" to continue the search for Ms Alayed's body so "she can be given the dignified burial she deserves". |