Somalilandsun – Members of Bristol’s Somali community packed a court for a case involving an illegal immigrant charged with murdering his pregnant wife.
Abdirashid Khadar entered the UK from Italy in March, Bristol Crown Court has heard.
It is claimed that having come to Barton Hill he met up with 21-year-old Amal Abdi, who he had married in Ethiopia, and stabbed her to death in July.
At the time she was 15 to 16 weeks pregnant.
Khadar, of no fixed address, faces an allegation of murder.
The 21-year-old, of Somali origin, appeared for a second preliminary hearing from HMP Exeter via video link and was assisted in court by a Somali interpreter.
A total of 36 members of the Somali community packed the 16 seats of the public gallery of Court Nine, as well as the 12 seats of the jury and eight seats provided elsewhere for the 16-minute hearing.
James Haskell, prosecuting, confirmed that, at a first preliminary hearing on August 3, Khadar was unrepresented but a timetable was set for a trial lasting up to ten days from January 11 next year.
The prosecution has until October 12 to serve its case and a plea and case management hearing is set for November 9.
Matthew Comer, defending, said the defence needed to instruct a psychiatrist to investigate
Khadar’s fitness to plead and whether he is suffering from mental disability.
It is thought Adam Vaitilingam QC will be instructed as defence counsel, while the case will be prosecuted by Andrew Langdon QC.
The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Neil Ford QC said the case should be tried as a matter of the “greatest importance” and there must be no delay.
At an earlier hearing prosecutor James Ward said: “On March 5 the defendant entered the UK from Italy on the back of a lorry.
“He is an illegal immigrant of which the Home Office is aware.
“He met up with a woman he married in Ethiopia, who was 21.”
Mr Ward said on the evening of July 26 the woman, Ms Abdi, was stabbed to death.
He told the court: “At the time she died she was 15 to 16 weeks pregnant and a post mortem shows she was stabbed in the neck and throat.”
The court heard Ms Abdi suffered three stab wounds to the front of her neck, two stab wounds to the left side back of her neck, five stab wounds to her back and a stab wound to her right upper arm.
It is alleged the killer moved the knife when he inflicted the wounds.
Cause of death was recorded as “multiple stab wounds”.
Mr Ward said it was Khadar who rang police and alerted them to the scene in Morley Street.
When police interviewed him he could not explain what happened, said he did recognise the flat and he had not stayed there.
Mr Ward said: “In custody his behaviour was odd. He was washing himself in his own urine.”
Police were called to the seventh floor flat at Longlands House on what was a Sunday evening.
Paramedics attempted to save her life after finding her unconscious, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A police spokesman said at the time: “Specially trained officers are supporting the woman’s family and the local neighbourhood policing team are patrolling the area, providing reassurance and receiving information from members of the local community.”
