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Man convicted of murdering family Man convicted of murdering family
(29 minutes later)
A 36-year-old man has been jailed for life after being found guilty of killing his wife and three children. A man has been jailed for life after being found guilty of killing his wife and three children last July.
Rahan Arshad beat his family to death with a rounders bat at their home in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, before fleeing to Thailand. Rahan Arshad, 36, beat his family to death with a rounders bat at their home in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, before fleeing to Thailand.
The bodies of Uzma Rahan, 32, and children Adam, 11, Abbas, eight, and Henna, six, were not found for a month.The bodies of Uzma Rahan, 32, and children Adam, 11, Abbas, eight, and Henna, six, were not found for a month.
The court was told that Arshad was motivated by jealousy after discovering his wife was having an affair.
Arshad, of Turves Road, had denied four counts of murder but was convicted by a jury at Manchester Crown Court.Arshad, of Turves Road, had denied four counts of murder but was convicted by a jury at Manchester Crown Court.
Life sentence
The jury, consisting of eight women and four men, took about two hours to reach a unanimous verdict.
They did not believe the taxi driver's claim that he had killed his wife after arriving home to find she had killed their children.They did not believe the taxi driver's claim that he had killed his wife after arriving home to find she had killed their children.
Mr Justice David Clarke sentenced Arshad to life imprisonment and said that in this case life "meant life". Mr Justice David Clarke sentenced Arshad to life imprisonment and said that in this case, life "meant life".
Mrs Rahan and her three children all died from head injuries The only time he has ever shown any remorse for what he did was when he first got off the plane from Thailand Det Supt Martin Bottomley
Uzma's mother and two brothers were in the public gallery beside friends and other relatives as the verdicts came in.Uzma's mother and two brothers were in the public gallery beside friends and other relatives as the verdicts came in.
Her brother, Rahat Ali, shouted "Yes" as the jury convicted Arshad of his sister's murder.Her brother, Rahat Ali, shouted "Yes" as the jury convicted Arshad of his sister's murder.
The court was told that Arshad was motivated by jealousy after discovering his wife was having an affair with a family friend known as Nikki. Describing the murders as "brutal and horrific", the judge said Arshad had been convicted on "overwhelming evidence"
During his trial, the jury heard how he battered Uzma with more than 23 blows in their bedroom before beating his children to death in their playroom. "You killed your entire family in circumstances of great brutality," said Mr Justice Clarke.
Murders 'plotted' "You beat your wife to death in her bedroom and then coldly and deliberately you brought your sleepy children downstairs to meet their deaths.
"There is no suggestion of mental illness on your part. Life imprisonment in your case means life."
During his trial, the jury heard how Arshad battered Uzma with more than 23 blows in their bedroom before beating his children to death in their playroom.
Their bodies were so badly decomposed that police needed dental records to confirm their identities.Their bodies were so badly decomposed that police needed dental records to confirm their identities.
He had planned the murders in advance, buying the rounders bat the day before and booking his ticket to Thailand more than two weeks earlier.He had planned the murders in advance, buying the rounders bat the day before and booking his ticket to Thailand more than two weeks earlier.
Police found the decomposed bodies on 20 August 2006.Police found the decomposed bodies on 20 August 2006.
Their bodies were in the house for almost a month
After detectives tracked him down in Thailand, he confessed to their murders moments after he was flown back to the UK.After detectives tracked him down in Thailand, he confessed to their murders moments after he was flown back to the UK.
When arrested he told officers: "I confess to the murder. My beautiful kids, I don't regret killing that bitch, but my kids, killing my kids..."When arrested he told officers: "I confess to the murder. My beautiful kids, I don't regret killing that bitch, but my kids, killing my kids..."
But he later refused to answer police questions, claiming his wife had beaten the children to death and he killed her.But he later refused to answer police questions, claiming his wife had beaten the children to death and he killed her.
Speaking after the hearing, Det Supt Martin Bottomley, who led the investigation, said: "This is one of the most brutal and devastating murders I have ever dealt with.
"Many of us have children, which makes the brutality he used to kill his own children even harder to comprehend.
"The only time he has ever shown any remorse for what he did was when he first got off the plane from Thailand.
"We will probably never know why Arshad committed this awful crime, unless he chooses to tell us."