Man who murdered wife pushing baby in Bradford jailed for life

A man who murdered his wife in front of their infant son has been jailed for life.

Kulsuma Akter, 27, had been living in a refuge in Bradford when she was fatally stabbed by her husband, Habibur Masum, as she pushed their seven-month-old baby in a pram through the city centre in April last year. The child was unharmed.

Last month, Masum, 27, of Leamington Avenue in Burnley, was convicted of murder following a trial at Bradford Crown Court.

Sentencing him at the same court on Tuesday to a minimum of 28 years, the judge, Mr Justice Cotter, told Masum he “viciously and mercilessly” attacked Ms Akter, stabbing her 26 times.

“You pulled out a knife from your pocket and attacked her in full view of passers-by,” the judge said.

He said Masum stabbed her, deliberately targeting her neck, adding he “stamped on her” before finally “cutting her throat”.

The judge said: “The wounds you had inflicted were unsurvivable, as was your intention.”

Before sentencing, the court heard that the Home Office would assess the suitability of Masum, who is from Bangladesh, to be deported from the UK 36 months before the minimum term.

He had been on a graduate visa after studying English literature at the University of Bedfordshire, but this expired on 20 June.

Stephen Wood KC, prosecuting, said he had been informed that there was a “high likelihood that this will be pursued”.