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| Naila Mumtaz death: Family members found guilty of murder | Naila Mumtaz death: Family members found guilty of murder |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Four members of a Birmingham family have been found guilty of murdering a pregnant woman they believed was possessed by a djinn, or evil spirit. | Four members of a Birmingham family have been found guilty of murdering a pregnant woman they believed was possessed by a djinn, or evil spirit. |
| Mohammed Mumtaz, 25, claimed his wife Naila Mumtaz, 21, had tried to strangle herself at home in 2009. | Mohammed Mumtaz, 25, claimed his wife Naila Mumtaz, 21, had tried to strangle herself at home in 2009. |
| He was found guilty along with his parents, Zia Ul-Haq and Salma Aslam, both 51, and brother-in-law Hammad Hassan, 24, all of Craythorne Avenue. | He was found guilty along with his parents, Zia Ul-Haq and Salma Aslam, both 51, and brother-in-law Hammad Hassan, 24, all of Craythorne Avenue. |
| All four will be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court at a later date. | All four will be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court at a later date. |
| The body of Mrs Mumtaz, who had been six months pregnant, was found by paramedics in a bedroom at the family home on 8 July 2009. | |
| 'More like suicide' | 'More like suicide' |
| Wendy Bounds, from the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said the "kind-hearted and beautiful young woman" had agreed to leave Pakistan and enter into an arranged marriage with Mumtaz. | Wendy Bounds, from the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said the "kind-hearted and beautiful young woman" had agreed to leave Pakistan and enter into an arranged marriage with Mumtaz. |
| She added: "She was aware that he suffered from a physical disability, but she was not put off by his appearance, taking the kind-hearted view that all living things had the same value. | She added: "She was aware that he suffered from a physical disability, but she was not put off by his appearance, taking the kind-hearted view that all living things had the same value. |
| "However, the jury today found that her husband and his family did not share her values." | "However, the jury today found that her husband and his family did not share her values." |
| Prosecutor Christopher Hotten QC had quoted details of Mumtaz's account to police after his wife's death, saying: "He said she started to grab her own face and was screaming in anger. | Prosecutor Christopher Hotten QC had quoted details of Mumtaz's account to police after his wife's death, saying: "He said she started to grab her own face and was screaming in anger. |
| "She tried to bite her mother's hand. The whole family were trying to hold her down. | "She tried to bite her mother's hand. The whole family were trying to hold her down. |
| "It was like she couldn't remember who we were. She suffocated herself by putting her hand in her mouth and she tried to strangle herself. | "It was like she couldn't remember who we were. She suffocated herself by putting her hand in her mouth and she tried to strangle herself. |
| "It was, he said, more like a suicide. He said it was possible that Naila had been possessed by a djinn spirit and said he himself about a month before Naila died had been similarly possessed, and again possessed at the coroner's court after her death." | "It was, he said, more like a suicide. He said it was possible that Naila had been possessed by a djinn spirit and said he himself about a month before Naila died had been similarly possessed, and again possessed at the coroner's court after her death." |
| In a statement, Mrs Mumtaz's family said: "Naila was a happy, confident and beautiful young woman. | |
| "She came to Britain to be with her husband. We entrusted our most treasured, beloved only daughter to him and his family. | |
| "Naila was almost six months pregnant with her unborn son when she was killed in her home, destroying her hopes, dreams and opportunities for the future. | |
| "We would like to thank West Midlands Police and Crown Prosecution Service in seeking justice for Naila. | |
| "We are very grateful for the jury using plain common sense in bringing the perpetrators to justice. | |
| "Naila will always be in our hearts and prayers and we hope her memory will live on by bringing about awareness of the issues surrounding her unfortunate death." |