Boy 'witnessed doctor's killing'

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A nine-year-old boy has told a court that he watched as a man crushed the neck of a Dundee doctor who later died.

Pathologist Iffat Kamal, 39, passed away in Ninewells Hospital, where she worked, on 20 December last year.

Her husband Nabeel Khan, 44, had admitted culpable homicide, but his guilty plea was rejected by the Crown and a murder trial has begun.

Mr Khan is alleged to have compressed his wife's throat at the home they shared in the city's Simpson Court.

Mr Khan and Dr Kamal had been married since June 2005.

The boy, who gave his evidence by CCTV link, said he saw Mr Khan put his arm around Dr Kamal's throat.

He said the doctor screamed and tried to use her legs to break free but she collapsed and fell silent.

He told the court that he thought she had fallen on top of the couple's two-year-old son.

They had been arguing about their families, the boy told the court.

I need to help my wife. I think she died. She's lying here on the floor. Nabeel Khan's emergency call

"He was saying that he and his family were not rude and vile," the boy said.

"She was screaming. She was trying to get away.

"I went to Nabeel and said please stop and he didn't stop. I asked him to stop again and then he stopped. He dragged her to the living room."

The court was told that Mr Khan then called for an ambulance and his call to phone operator Morag Bell was replayed to the jury.

Mr Khan said: "There's been a scuffle between me and my wife and she seems to be... she needs help, please find an ambulance.

"I need to help my wife. I think she died. She's lying here on the floor.

"My mind is not working, please send somebody.

"She just had a... we just had an argument. We had a scuffle and I just pushed her."

The charge, which Mr Khan denies, alleges that he slapped his wife on the face and seized her by the throat on 10 December.

It is alleged he restricted her breathing until she was unconscious, whereby she was so severely injured that she died at Ninewells.

'Joy and pride'

Earlier, the court heard from Dr Kamal's mother, Nighat Kamal, 64.

She had travelled to Scotland and was present when her daughter's life support machine was turned off on 20 December.

She told the court: "She was my joy and pride. She was an outstanding student in school. She was not only very intelligent, but diligent too."

She said Dr Kamal had come to Scotland from India to enhance her career by gaining further qualifications.

"She loved her workplace," Mrs Kamal told the court.

"Everybody was so good to her. She was very conscientious."

The trial continues.