Man admits murdering partner after year of denials

Police and forensic teams in Ravensthorpe after the murder of Salam Alshara

A man who spent more than a year denying he had murdered his partner admitted the killing on the day his trial was due to begin.

Wahib Albaradan had protested his innocence in the murder of Salam Alshara, 27, who died in the Ravensthorpe area of Dewsbury in November 2023.

He reversed his plea and admitted the offence in Leeds earlier as courtroom 11 at the city's crown court was being readied for his trial.

Albaradan, 37, formerly of Dearnley Street, will be sentenced at a date to be fixed.

Police launched a manhunt after they were called to a property on 19 November 2023 and discovered Ms Alshara dead.

Witnesses said they saw a man covered in blood arrested by a large number of police about a quarter of a mile from where the woman was found injured.

Police said the couple were believed to have come to the UK in about 2020 and arrived in the Dewsbury area a year later with their four children.

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