A Bradford man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his niece.

Mohammed Taroos Khan, 53, of Thornbury Road, Bradford, will serve a minumum of 25 years for the murder of Somaiya Begum.

He was jailed for five years, to run concurrently, for a second charge of perverting the course of justice.

The court had earlier seen CCTV footage of Khan dumping the body on wasteland in Fitzwilliam Street.

Today, the Judge, the Honourable Justice Neil Garnham, told him: "Khan, you will go to prison for life for murder and perverting the course of justice for five years, to run concurrently. You cannot apply for parole until after 25 years."

Sentencing Khan at Bradford Crown Court today, The Judge pointed out that there was 'no significant mitigation' and added that Khan would be an 'old man' by the time he could apply for parole. 

The Judge said: "Your assault on her included stabbing her in back. You used a spike as weapon in murderous attack on Somaiya."

The honour killing references made during the trial were addressed by the  Judge during his sentencing remarks.

He said: "I reject the suggestion that this is an honour killing. 

"It is pure speculation if this murder was part of some appalling family agreement."

The Judge said it had been a "dreadful attack by you on an innocent woman."

Somaiya's  body was found dumped on wasteland off Fitzwilliam Street, on the outskirts of the city centre, on July 6 last year.

Khan had denied murdering Miss Begum, 20, of Binnie Street, Barkerend, Bradford on, or around June 25, 2022, but has admitted to disposing of her body.

Miss Begum had a 10.7cm-long metal spike embedded in her back, which had penetrated her lung, when her body was found, and the court heard that strangulation was a possible cause of death.

There was blood found on a table in the living room of her home in Binnie Street, which was a DNA match for Miss Begum.