'I have got a plan in my head, you will all be shocked': Husband brutally murdered his wife of 21-years with hammer and knife as family were asleep at their home in Leeds

Sajid Pervez inflicted the horrific injuries upon Abida Karim in a cocaine-fuelled frenzy after subjecting her to years of domestic abuse.

Leeds Crown Court heard Prevez, 37, attacked the mum as she slept at their home on Hovingham Terrace, Harehills, in the early hours of September 24 last year.

Pervez then left the property as his children slept in other rooms and drove to the home of his own mother.

He then dialled 999 and calmly told an operator he had killed his partner of 21 years wife but did not want his children to find the body.

Police and paramedics went to the property and found Mrs Karim dead in bed with the weapons near to her body.

Peter Mouslon QC, prosecuting, said the victim had been struck on the head at least 15 times with the hammer and suffered deep knife wounds to her neck.

The prosecutor said the couple's eldest children later provided statements describing how their father had subjected their mother to years of physical and psychological abuse.

A statement from the couple's eldest daughter read: "I have pictured this day since I was five years old."

The attack happened ten days after Mrs Karim returned to Leeds from a trip to Pakistan to attend her father's funeral.

The defendant also said: "When Mum comes back from Pakistan watch what I do to her.

"I do not care about police and you will be shocked."

Pervez also bought a large knife which he brought into the house in the days before the fatal attack.

Pervez was described as "horrible, abusive and manipulative" by his children.

The court heard Pervez had previously made threats to burn down the family home if his behaviour was ever reported to the police.

Describing the night of the murder, Mrs Karim's daughter said: "My mum did not even scream.

"Normally when she is beaten up I can hear her shouting, I can hear her scream.

"I didn't hear my mum this morning."

"That weapon was taken into the bedroom by him for that purpose.

"The timing of this killing may not have been settled in his mind but preparations for it certainly were made."

Pervez pleaded guilty to murder at a hearing on January 12 this year.

After handing himself in after the attack he told officers at Elland Road police station that he had taken around half a gram of cocaine.

A doctor assessed him as having a personality disorder made worse by his use of alcohol, cocaine and cannabis.

Nick Johnson QC, mitigating, said Pervez had witnessed domestic violence in his own family when he was growing up.

He said: "His life and life choices were decided and controlled for him from an early age, involving his arranged marriage from the age of 17."

The barrister said the use of cocaine had a "disinhibiting" effect on Pervez.

Pervez was given a life sentence and told he must serve a minimum of 22-and-a-half years in custody before he can apply to the parole board for release on licence.

Judge Simon Phillips told Pervez he was satisfied that he had planned to kill his wife based on to his behaviour towards his family before the incident.

The judge said: "You wanted them to know that you had the capacity and the preparedness to do something seismic and catastrophic within a family context."

After the case, Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Natalie Dawson, of West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “Abida Karim’s family remain utterly devastated about her murder at the hands of her husband in appallingly violent circumstances in the family home.

“Sajid Pervez has robbed his own children of their mother and, although he has now been held accountable, we recognise that no amount of time in prison could ever properly compensate them for such a dreadful loss.”