Somaiya Begum: Pathologist unable to say how woman died, court told

Somaiya Begum was found dead on wasteland in Bradford on 6 July

The body of a 20-year-old woman was so badly decomposed it was not possible to determine how she died, a murder trial has heard.

Somaiya Begum was found wrapped in a rug on waste ground in Bradford in July last year.

She was discovered 11 days after disappearing from her home in Binnie Street.

Her uncle Mohammed Taroos Khan, 53, denies killing her, but has admitted disposing of her body.

Bradford Crown Court heard how the Leeds Beckett University student had been living with another of her uncles after her parents had been issued with a Forced Marriage Protection Order.

This followed her refusal to marry a cousin in Pakistan when she was 16 years old.

Home Office forensic pathologist Kirsten Hope told the court how Miss Begum's body was extensively decomposed, especially her head and neck.

Dr Hope said that, because of the decomposition, she was unable to ascertain a cause of death.

The pathologist told the jury that the most obvious feature she had noticed in her post-mortem examination was a 4in (10.7cm) metal spike which was embedded in Miss Begum's back and had penetrated her lung.

The murder trial at Bradford Crown Court is expected to last three weeks

Asked by Jason Pitter KC, prosecuting, whether this would have been a fatal injury, she replied: "In itself, it's not an immediate life-threatening injury if you seek immediate medical assistance."

Mr Pitter asked Dr Hope: "And if you don't seek medical assistance?"

She said: "It could be potentially fatal over a period of time because of the risk of infection, predominantly."

Dr Hope told the jury she was satisfied there was "trauma, including potential assault prior to death" and agreed that was "consistent with Somaiya Begum being killed".

The pathologist said the decomposition of the neck had removed her ability to ascertain whether Miss Begum had been strangled.

The jury had earlier heard how Miss Begum's extended family was split in two by a feud and Mr Pitter told the jury that they may hear the death explained in terms of an "inappropriately named honour killing".

The prosecutor added: "Whatever it was... it was not honourable."

Mr Khan, of Thornbury Road, Bradford, denies murder but has admitted perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.