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| Danai Muhammadi jailed for killing family in house fire | Danai Muhammadi jailed for killing family in house fire |
| (4 months later) | |
| A car salesman who murdered his estranged wife, their son and his father-in-law by setting fire to their home following the collapse of their marriage has been jailed for life. | A car salesman who murdered his estranged wife, their son and his father-in-law by setting fire to their home following the collapse of their marriage has been jailed for life. |
| A judge told Danai Muhammadi, 24, that he will spend at least 38 years behind bars before being eligible for parole. | A judge told Danai Muhammadi, 24, that he will spend at least 38 years behind bars before being eligible for parole. |
| Fuelled by anger, spite and resentment, he killed Melissa Crook, 20, and their 15-month-old son Noah by setting fire to the house in Chatham Hill, Chatham, Kent. | Fuelled by anger, spite and resentment, he killed Melissa Crook, 20, and their 15-month-old son Noah by setting fire to the house in Chatham Hill, Chatham, Kent. |
| Crook's father Mark, 49, was left critically ill with severe burns in hospital following the fire just before 2.30am on 10 September last year. He died six days later. | Crook's father Mark, 49, was left critically ill with severe burns in hospital following the fire just before 2.30am on 10 September last year. He died six days later. |
| Sentencing at Maidstone crown court, Judge Mr Justice Sweeney said: "It can truly be described as pure, selfish wickedness." | Sentencing at Maidstone crown court, Judge Mr Justice Sweeney said: "It can truly be described as pure, selfish wickedness." |
| Muhammadi and his friend, nightclub bouncer Farhad Mahmud, 35, squirted petrol through the letterbox using a garden sprayer before igniting it, leading to fire breaking out at the base of the stairs. | Muhammadi and his friend, nightclub bouncer Farhad Mahmud, 35, squirted petrol through the letterbox using a garden sprayer before igniting it, leading to fire breaking out at the base of the stairs. |
| Flames cut off any escape route for the family who were asleep upstairs at the time as fire and dense smoke filled the three-bedroom property. | Flames cut off any escape route for the family who were asleep upstairs at the time as fire and dense smoke filled the three-bedroom property. |
| Last month, Muhammadi and Mahmud were each found guilty of three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in relation to Crook's mother Amanda, 50, and brother Bohdan, 22, who survived. | Last month, Muhammadi and Mahmud were each found guilty of three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in relation to Crook's mother Amanda, 50, and brother Bohdan, 22, who survived. |
| Muhammadi's girlfriend, Emma Smith, 22, was convicted of three counts of manslaughter but cleared of murder and attempted murder following a six-week trial. | Muhammadi's girlfriend, Emma Smith, 22, was convicted of three counts of manslaughter but cleared of murder and attempted murder following a six-week trial. |
| Prosecutors said unemployed Smith "encouraged and goaded" Muhammadi and exchanged hate-filled texts and online messages with Mrs Crook before her death. | Prosecutors said unemployed Smith "encouraged and goaded" Muhammadi and exchanged hate-filled texts and online messages with Mrs Crook before her death. |
| Mahmud was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 34 years in prison before being eligible for parole. | Mahmud was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 34 years in prison before being eligible for parole. |
| Addressing Muhammadi and Mahmud, the judge said that they had been convicted on "overwhelming" evidence. | Addressing Muhammadi and Mahmud, the judge said that they had been convicted on "overwhelming" evidence. |
| He said: "No one who heard the evidence in this case will ever forget Mrs [Amanda] Crook's description of how, as he tried to escape, her husband [Mark Crook] became stuck in the bedroom window and how, unable to extricate himself, she had to stand and watch as his lower half was burned." | He said: "No one who heard the evidence in this case will ever forget Mrs [Amanda] Crook's description of how, as he tried to escape, her husband [Mark Crook] became stuck in the bedroom window and how, unable to extricate himself, she had to stand and watch as his lower half was burned." |
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