Sobhia Khan: Inquest opens after woman is murdered by husband

Sobhia Khan was killed at home in Derby in 2017

An inquest has been opened into the death of a woman murdered by her husband, who had been released from a secure psychiatric unit.

Sobhia Khan was beaten to death by Atual Mustafa in May 2017 at their home in Pear Tree Crescent, Derby.

Mustafa was conditionally discharged from a secure unit at the Cygnet Hospital in Derby in July 2015 after setting another woman on fire.

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 32 years in May 2018.

Chesterfield Coroners' Court heard the inquest into the 37-year-old's death will examine decisions that led to Mustafa being conditionally discharged from the Cygnet Hospital, after being given a hospital order in 2009 for attacking, torturing and setting fire to another woman.

Atual Mustafa was jailed for a minimum term of 32 years following a trial in 2018

Opening the inquest on Tuesday at Chesterfield Coroners Court, Clement Goldstone QC, said: "I have been appointed by the Chief Coroner for England and Wales to preside over this inquest into the tragic death of Sobhia Khan, who was murdered by Atual Mustafa at their home in Derby.

"May I apologise to all those that have been affected by the delay in bringing this inquest to the coroners court, in particular to Sobhia's family.

"We will ensure that within the boundaries of reasonable lines of inquiry, no stone is left unturned in answering the four statutory questions, namely: who died, and when, where and how they came by their death."

Mr Goldstone QC added the inquest would not seek to challenge evidence that led to a diagnosis made in 2009 that Mustafa had paranoid schizophrenia, adding: "Hindsight is a wonderful thing."

Ms Khan, originally from Bradford, was married to Mustafa in her absence in the weeks before her death, under the Islamic ceremony of Nikah.

The inquest is being heard at the Town Hall in Chesterfield

But during a criminal trial in 2018, Derby Crown Court heard Ms Khan suffered "domestic violence on a savage scale".

The jury was told there were 36 recent injuries across her body, including burns from an iron.

A review commissioned by NHS England published in 2021, said there was a series of "missed opportunities" to spot warning signs and potentially prevent Ms Khan's death.

It added healthcare officials "lacked the knowledge and resources" to adequately supervise Mustafa once he had been discharged.

Representatives from both the Derbyshire and Nottingham Healthcare NHS Foundation Trusts, the Ministry of Justice, Derby City Council and Ms Khan's family were present at the start of the inquest, which could last until the end of June.