Courts / Louth / Report
Pakistani man pleads guilty to killing man he suspected of having affair with his wife
Summary
Shahzad Hussain, aged 35, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a retrial was ordered by the Court of Criminal Appeal in July 2014. The appeal had quashed his earlier murder conviction for killing his wife's cousin, Muhammad Arif, due to a "very real risk of injustice" in how provocation was explained to the jury. Hussain had previously been sentenced to life for murdering his wife's cousin and to seven years for seriously injuring his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider, and two years for assaulting her. In the current proceedings, he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Arif. The court noted that Hussain remains in custody for the other two convictions, which were not overturned, and that he has spent the last five years in four different prisons. The case was prosecuted by Mr Shane Costelloe SC and defended by Mr Dominic McGinn SC.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Pakistani man pleads guilty to killing man he suspected of having affair with his wife. Charges or matters: the murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Arif. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- January 6, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 2010 Adjournment
- April 4 Adjournment
- 2016-01-27 Publication
Case subjects
Background Person
Charges: the murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Arif (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Shahzad Hussain (35), with a last address at Woodland Avenue, Mosney, Co Meath, was previously jailed for life for murdering his wife's cousin and his own distant relative Muhammad Arif (32). He was also sentenced to seven years for seriously injuring his wife Rashida Bibi Haider (44) and two years for assaulting her on January 6, 2011 at Mr Arif's apartment in Fitzwilliam Court, Dyer Street, Drogheda, Co Louth.; Defence counsel, Mr Dominic McGinn SC, told Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan that "there was a lot of evidence to go through" and she remanded Mr Hussain in custody until April 4 for sentencing.
Places mentioned
- Woodland Avenue
- Dyer Street
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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