Man jailed for murder and child destruction

Filmon Andmichaen, 31, was jailed for a minimum of 27 years on Wednesday

A married man who fatally stabbed his pregnant girlfriend has been found guilty of her murder and of child destruction.

Filmon Andmichaen, 31, killed Liwam Bereket, 26, who was 27 weeks pregnant, in woodland off Freeth Street, Ladywood, Birmingham, on 1 August last year.

Ms Bereket was stabbed in the neck, with her baby stillborn despite an emergency Caesarean section being carried out. The court heard her unborn baby was a "complication he was unwilling to accept".

At Birmingham Crown Court earlier, Andmichaen was jailed for a minimum of 27 years. Her family said Ms Kereket had been a beautiful soul.

Jurors deliberated for nearly three and a half hours before returning unanimous guilty verdicts.

This was Andmichaen's second trial after the first collapsed in March due to issues over the child destruction charge.

The issues were later resolved by the Court of Appeal and remained on the indictment that was put before jurors in the second trial, which began earlier this month.

'Perilous condition'

The first trial heard Andmichaen, of Haddon Road in Great Barr, dialled 999 one-and-a-half hours after Ms Bereket is believed to have been stabbed. He told the call handler he had killed his girlfriend "by mistake" and had also tried to kill himself.

He requested officers were sent to his address before showing them where Ms Bereket was despite knowing her "perilious" condition, prosecutor Sandip Patel KC told the jury.

Ms Bereket was discovered face down and bleeding from her neck in an area of overgrown bushes - where an emergency Caesarean section was carried out to try to save her baby girl.

While the injury to her neck was serious she would not have died immediately and may have been able to "walk or run around before collapsing", Mr Patel said.

She showed some signs of life two hours after the stabbing, the trial heard.

Liwam Bereket, 26, was stabbed in the neck in woodland off Freeth Street, Birmingham, on August 1 last year

'Chilling decision'

Ms Bereket's bank cards and phone were found after her death in a bag in the boot of Andmichaen's car with his fingerprints on them.

"He took her phone, which we say was intended to prevent her seeking help as we know timely medical intervention may have saved her life," Mr Patel said.

"Filmon Andmichaen made a chilling decision, he decided the life growing inside his girlfriend was a complication he was unwilling to accept.

"He decided his solution to this was a permanent one."

Ms Bereket had reportedly been enjoying her pregnancy but was upset when Andmichaen asked her to have an abortion.

Her friends had been concerned Andmichaen was verbally abusive and threatening and a neighbour told police he had seen him punch her in the face months before she was stabbed.

Andmichaen's wife, who came to live with him from Uganda, told police she had no idea about the affair and said their marriage had been “good”. They married in 2022 after meeting on Facebook in September 2021.

'No remorse'

CCTV footage captured Andmichaen walking towards a nearby canal with a bag after the stabbing.

He was later spotted without the bag as he walked back to his white Toyota Yaris, before turning around and heading back towards the canal.

The knife used in the stabbing was never found. Mr Patel said Andmichaen may have been trying to get rid of evidence.

He was also seen returning to the scene with his brother - who later told police he was concerned after seeing Andmichaen with wet clothes.

He told officers he urged him to call 999 if he had committed a crime.

Andmichaen appeared in the dock alongside an interpreter who translated the proceedings into Tigrinya - a language spoken in east Africa.

The judge, Mr Justice Choudhury, said Andmichaen had not shown any remorse for what he had done and had tried to blame Ms Bereket, saying she was the one who had threatened to stab herself.

He had also tried to deny that he was the father of her child and had insisted on both a DNA test and an abortion.

"I find your intention at that moment could only have been to end her life and that of her unborn child," the judge said.

"Her attempts to get you to assume responsibility for the child caused you to lash out in frustration."

'Beautiful soul'

In a statement read out to the court, Ms Bereket's family said her death had "shattered" their lives and they were "forever changed."

"She was not just a daughter and sister, she was a beautiful soul full of life, laughter and love. She bought joy to everyone around her and was kind-hearted and compassionate," they added.

"Remember her not just as a victim but as a person who loved and was loved."