Love rival guilty of murder

Harmohinder Kaur Sanghera stabbed her lover's wife to death at the marital home in Throstle Grove, Bury, on May 11. The victim was eleven weeks pregnant.

A jury of nine women and three men took eight and half hours to reach an 11-1 majority verdict and convict the 23-year-old from Solihull. Their verdict was announced at 12.15pm today.

She was jailed for life with a minimum tariff of 14 years.Sanghera, of Monastery Drive in Solihull, drove to Bury from her home in Birmingham armed with a knife and killed 17-year-old Sana Ali in her own bedroom.

Sanghera planned the murder after discovering that the man she had been in a relationship with for two years, was married to Sana and that Sana was expecting their first child.

She drove to Bury and knocked on Sana's front door. She was invited into the house and went upstairs with Sana into the master bedroom, where she attacked her, stabbing her numerous times and causing 43 separate injuries including a deep wound to her abdomen, significant injuries to her wrists and what appear to be defence wounds to her hands.

She then went downstairs, climbed out through the kitchen window leaving the house secure and calmly drove back to Birmingham.

Sanghera concocted a web of lies to try to account for being caught on CCTV and ANPR driving to Manchester and her footprints being found on the kitchen counter in Sana's house.

However, she was arrested, charged and convicted today.

Detective Superintendent Jane Antrobus from Greater Manchester Police's Major Incident Team said: "This is an absolutely tragic case. Sanghera was jealous and desperate and went to incredible lengths to try to save her relationship the result of which was this horrific murder.

"These terrible circumstances have wrecked two families - both Sana and Sanghera's family have lost their daughters. Sana was an innocent victim who did not deserve to have her life, and that of her unborn child, taken in this way.

"I know it has been very difficult for Sana's family, particularly her mum, to hear about the circumstances surrounding her only daughter's death and the loss of her unborn grandson, I just hope that she can somehow now find some sort of closure and try to move on with her life."

Sana's father in law, Zafir Ali, gave the following statement on behalf of the family: "Much play was made by the defence around the credibility of my family and friends by an apparent learned defence counsel.

"We are, however, thankful the jury saw beyond the smokescreen that was created by the evil lies of Harminder Sanghera, projected by her defence, family, friends and affiliates.

"This day brings us no joy as we have lost our Sana, A beautiful wife, daughter, sister and mother-to-be.

"We will forever miss you Sana.

"It remains for me to say a genuine thank you to the prosecution, CPS, Police and the wider public. We kindly ask that you allow is to grieve in peace as justice has now prevailed."

Background

From childhood, Sana and her cousin Sair Ali, were considered by their families to be engaged to be married in due course.

Sair and Sanghera first met through a mutual friend in summer 2005 and in the July, they started a relationship. Sair did not tell her that he was engaged and, as the relationship became more serious, he used the pretence of their different religions (Sair was Muslim and Sanghera was Sihk) as a reason why the relationship would not last, leading her to believe that his parents would never agree to them marrying.

Sanghera persevered with the relationship, taking an increasing interest in Sair's religion and telling him she was prepared to convert to his faith.

By October 2006, Sair knew he would be getting married to Sana Ali in December and resolved to end his relationship with Sanghera. But his efforts to cut off contact with her were half-hearted and the relationship continued, albeit intermittently.

In mid-December 2006, Sair Ali's parents flew to Pakistan to arrange his wedding to Sana. The night before he left to join his parents in Pakistan and marry Sana, Sair spent the night with Sanghera, still concealing his impending marriage and leading her to believe he was due to fly to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage.

On 22 December 2006, Sair and Sana married in Pakistan.

Some time later, when Sair returned to the UK, Sanghera had realised he had lied to her about where he had been. In an attempt to end the relationship, Sair told Sanghera that he was engaged.

The relationship cooled, but did not end entirely, and Sanghera tried to persuade Sair that his future lay with her.

In February or March 2007, Sanghera discovered that Sair was in fact married. Still this did not deter her. Instead she travelled to Manchester where she met up with Sair and two of his friends. She wanted Sair to divorce Sana. When he made it clear this was out of the question, one of his friends suggested Sanghera became Sair's second wife. Sanghera rejected the notion and they agreed to go their separate ways.

In March or early April 2007, Sair Ali discovered that Sana was expecting their child. He was delighted and the matter became public knowledge.

When Sanghera found out, she phoned Sair who agreed to meet up with her. She said she was prepared to become his second wife and contact between them resumed.

They went to see the Sheikh but during the meeting Sair stated that he did not want to enter into a second marriage - a clear signal that the relationship was doomed.

Sanghera asked Sair to stay with her until after her final exams at university. He agreed and suggested they try to formalise their relationship during this period by gaining religious approval. They entered into a relationship referred to as a "Mu'ta". A temporary form of marriage recognised in some quarters within the Shia Muslim faith which permits members of the Shia faith to "marry" a partner for a specific period of time. The "marriage" was eventually extended until 16 May, but both Sair and Sanghara knew it was temporary and once it ran out, the intention was for them to go their separate ways.

Sanghera suggested that after her exams they go to Dubai on holiday, as a nice memory to finish their relationship on. When Sair was unenthusiastic, they argued. Over time it became increasingly obvious that the relationship was about to end.

On Thursday 10 May, Sanghera told a friend that she was going to visit Sana Ali and tell her about her relationship with Sair, before ending the relationship. She said she wanted Sana to know the truth.

That evening and into the early hours of the next morning, Sanghera and Sair spoke to each other on the phone. She did not tell him she was intending to travel to visit Sana.

On the morning of 11 May, Sana made breakfast for her husband and his younger brother. The men left the house just after 12.45pm. Sanghera knew that Sair's parents were abroad and that Sair would be at Prayers, therefore Sana would be alone in the house.

Telephone records show that she spoke to Sair as she made her way from Birmingham to Manchester and sent him a text moments before she entered the house.

Sanghera knocked on the front door of Sana and Sair's home. Sana gestured for her to go to the back door and let her in. They went upstairs where Sanghera stabbed Sana to death in her own bedroom. Sana was 11 weeks pregnant at the time.

A post mortem examination revealed that Sana had 43 separate sharp force injuries to her body and one deep stab wound to her abdomen.

Sanghera then went downstairs and climbed onto the kitchen counter and out of the window at the back of the house. Officers later found small segment of a footprint on the counter and were able to match it to that of Sanghera.

After she left the house, Sanghera texted Sair and he then phoned her just after 3pm. She made no reference to the visit she had paid to Sana and the pair actually discussed going to either Paris or Milan for the weekend.

Sana's mother had been trying to contact her on the home phone and her mobile for some time and, when she did not get an answer, she contacted other members of the family who tried to get in touch with Sana but couldn't. Two family members went to the house to check on Sana and found her stabbed to death on the bedroom floor with the kitchen knife lying next to her and the bedroom blinds drawn.

Sanghera contacted police on 14 May, saying she had been to the address and was potentially the last to see the victim alive. She was arrested and, when interview, calmly talked her way through a web of lies, giving an story which accounted for everywhere she had been in the house. But the story was completely fabricated to hide the horrific and bloody murder.

Victim Impact Statement from Sair Ali

I am Sair and I was the husband of Sana Ali. We were first cousins, as our mothers Nabila and Maryam are sisters.

We grew up together and we got engaged 8 years ago.

We got married in Pakistan in December 2006. The day was perfect and it was one of the happiest days of my life. We were very happy together and lived in my childhood home with my parents and brother.

When Sana told me she was expecting our child in March this year I was over the moon and told everybody our happy news. We even picked a name for our child Abdul.

Our families were so excited about the baby, especially the grandparents and our brothers and sisters.

The baby was extra special as it was the first on the male side of the family. We were all looking forward to the birth: it was my dream - becoming a dad, becoming a family with children.

When we were told of Sana's death it ripped our hearts apart. We were in shock and disbelief.

The loneliness and emptiness in our hearts and lives are indescribable. I have lost my wife and child and Maryam her mother, her only daughter.

All the family don't feel like socialising and eating, which is a big part of our family life in our culture.

No-one can sleep, we all have nightmares. We cannot stay in the house now, we are scared of any noises and jump and shake at the smallest thing. We are living in fear - scared of the house.

No matter how busy we keep ourselves, it doesn't leave your mind for a second.

The life of this house and family has gone. It's so quiet, we miss her deeply.

No-one can go into Sana's bedroom, the door is always closed. Her clothes still hang in her wardrobe. We can't face it yet and don't feel we ever can. I just want to be at the cemetery all the time with Maryam, we feel close to Sana there. It breaks our heart to leave her there when we come home.

Maryam is on medication; she can't sleep and has nightmares when she does.

We feel like leaving the country because of too many reminders.

I am suffering from depression and have lost loads of weight and have no goal or ambition in life any more. We can't see the way forward any more.

Every day is painful to live. Everything reminds us of Sana and the guilt that we are still alive and she isn't is unbearable.

The trial is going to be a difficult time for us as our baby was due the same week.

Our child, we know was a son. Sana was perfect, irreplaceable and dearly loved. We will never recover from losing her.