Pon Street
Khyra Ishaq murder trial update – 15.02.2010
A Mother and Stepfather, accused of starving their daughter [Khyra Ishaq] to death have both pleaded guilty to manslaughter. The court had previously heard that the seven-year-old girl was held captive in her home and deliberately starved to death by her mother and stepfather.
A Mother and Stepfather, accused of starving their daughter [Khyra Ishaq] to death have both pleaded guilty to manslaughter. The court had previously heard that the seven-year-old girl was held captive in her home and deliberately starved to death by her mother and stepfather.
Today the prosecution accepted Junaid Abuhamza’s plea of manslaughter after evidence surrounding his mental health was revealed to Birmingham crown court, but Angela Gordon’s plea was rejected and her trial for murder continues.
Steve Hadlington, one of the three paramedics who battled to save Khyra Ishaq’s life in 2008, told the jury how Ms Gordon showed little emotion as they rushed her daughter to hospital.
Mr Abuhamza, who admitted to five charges of child cruelty in an earlier hearing, told the court he watched his own father beat his sister to death for not flushing the toilet. He said: “All the actions I exhibited in the household were due to my childhood.”
He later revealed that he beat Khyra with a cane and made her stand outside while he threw cold water over her. The court were told that Mr Abuhamza, who suffers from bouts of schizophrenia, believed Khyra had a weird face because she was possessed by evil spirits.
The trial continues.
