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Man 'cannot recall' killing wife Man 'cannot recall' killing wife
(about 4 hours later)
A husband accused of killing his wife and three children says he "blanked out" and woke up in a bath with the murder weapon in his hand.A husband accused of killing his wife and three children says he "blanked out" and woke up in a bath with the murder weapon in his hand.
Rahan Arshad, 36, told Manchester Crown Court he could not remember bludgeoning his wife Uzma, 32, with a rounders bat and denied killing his children.Rahan Arshad, 36, told Manchester Crown Court he could not remember bludgeoning his wife Uzma, 32, with a rounders bat and denied killing his children.
During cross-examination, he said found the bodies of Adam, 11, Abbas, eight and Henna, two, in their playroom.During cross-examination, he said found the bodies of Adam, 11, Abbas, eight and Henna, two, in their playroom.
Mr Arshad, of Turves Road, denies four counts of murder.Mr Arshad, of Turves Road, denies four counts of murder.
He said blanked out and came round sitting in the bath with the 1.5ft long bat which had been used to beat the four victims to death.He said blanked out and came round sitting in the bath with the 1.5ft long bat which had been used to beat the four victims to death.
You beat her head into a pulp didn't you, didn't you? Paul Reid QC, prosecuting Mr Arshad told the court: "I don't know what happened. I came downstairs after and saw the children and burst out crying."
Prosecutor Paul Reid QC said: "You accept responsibility for beating the life out of Uzma don't you, don't you?"
Arshad replied: "Yes."
"Something in the nature of 23 blows were delivered to her head. From the number of marks and injuries to her body (the forensic scientist) estimates there were in excess of 23 blows to her head and body," said Mr Reid.
"You beat her head into a pulp didn't you, didn't you?"
Arshad replied: "I don't know what happened. I came downstairs after and saw the children and burst out crying."
The family's bodies lay undiscovered for almost a monthThe family's bodies lay undiscovered for almost a month
Mr Arshad admitted failing to call an ambulance and instead went to look for bed sheets, which he said he used to cover their bodies at the same time.
Mr Reid said that blood splatters and spray from Adam had been found on the sheet covering the body of his daughter.
Mr Reid said: "On your account of events that could not have happened, could it?"
Asked what he recollected from the attack on his wife, he replied: "I just blanked out. I can't remember."Asked what he recollected from the attack on his wife, he replied: "I just blanked out. I can't remember."
The bodies of his wife and children were very badly decomposed when they were eventually found about a month after their deaths.The bodies of his wife and children were very badly decomposed when they were eventually found about a month after their deaths.
The trial continues. Mr Arshad had flown to Thailand after their deaths, before being arrested on 30 August at the Thai-Malaysian border and flown back to the UK.
Shortly after being arrested he told police: "I confess to the murder. My beautiful kids. I don't regret killing that bitch, but my kids, killing my kids..."
Asked what he had meant, Mr Arshad, who said he was "physically and mentally drained", told the court: "I meant she had killed my kids. I was still in shock. I didn't kill my kids."
The trial, before Mr Justice David Clarke, was adjourned until Monday.