Bradford stabbing: Trial date set for man accused of murdering wife

Habibur Masum, 25, has been charged with the murder of Kalsuma Akter

A man charged with murdering his wife as she walked with her baby in a pram will stand trial later this year.

Habibur Masum, 25, from Burnley, is charged with murdering Kulsuma Aktar, 27, who died after being stabbed on Westgate, in Bradford, on Saturday.

Mr Masum was arrested in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, earlier this week following a three-day manhunt.

He appeared at Bradford Crown Court via video link earlier where a provisional trial date was set for 18 November.

Mr Masum is also charged with possession of a bladed article.

Following a brief hearing on Friday he was remanded back into custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on 10 May.

Kulsuma Akter died after she was attacked in Bradford on 6 April

Ms Akter was found seriously injured at about 15:21 BST when officers were called to Westgate in the city centre.

She was taken to hospital but later died. Her baby son was not harmed in the attack.

West Yorkshire Police and Greater Manchester Police have both referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as both had had contact with Ms Akter before her death.

A 23-year-old man arrested in the Cheshire area on Monday on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on bail, West Yorkshire Police said.

Four other men were arrested in Aylesbury on suspicion of assisting an offender and drug offences.

The men, aged 23, 26, 28 and 29, from the West Midlands area, remain in custody.