An asylum seeker has admitted the brutal double murder of two teenage girls at a flat in Wakefield.
Ahmad Otak, who is from Afghanistan, faces life in prison after he pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court yesterday to the murders of Samantha Sykes, 18 and Kimberley Frank, 17, on March 9 this year.
The bodies of the two girls were found in Miss Frank’s flat in Barden Road, Eastmoor, Wakefield when police forced their way inside.
Both had suffered multiple stab wounds from which they had died.
Otak, who appeared over a video link from Wakefield prison and spoke through an interpreter to answer the charges, also admitted a third offence of having an article with a blade or point namely a kitchen knife.
He denied two further charges of kidnapping his former girlfriend Miss Frank’s older sister Elisa and false imprisonment of her on the same date.
Richard Mansell QC prosecuting told the court those pleas were acceptable to the crown but the details alleged would be opened in due course as part of the case against Otak.
“Since they represent an aggravating feature of the two murders the crown see no reason to try Otak on these counts.”
He told the court there was an issue about Otak’sage, either 19 or 21, depending on different dates of birth he had given and that would be checked for the next hearing.
Otak is understood to have had a stormy relationship with Elisa Frank and was believed to be speaking to her at her sister’s when the first violence erupted.
He was subsequently arrested in Dover,
The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC, told Otak the case could only be heard by a High Court Judge and adjourned sentence until one is available probably on November 9.
“As I am sure you will understand the sentence for murder is fixed by law and the sentence that will be passed upon you in due course will be one of life imprisonment.”
Steven Harratt, 57, of Willow Grove, Wakefield denies assisting an offender by supplying Otak with money, clothing, food and a satellite navigation system and will be tried at a future date.
Both Miss Sykes and Kimberley Frank were former pupils at Horbury School where they are remembered in a new memorial garden.