Man Stands Trial for Stabbing Estranged Wife Pushing Baby Pram in Bradford

Habibur Masum, 26, has been on trial for the stabbing death of his estranged wife, Kulsuma Akter, 27, in Bradford after tracking her down to a women's refuge where she had fled to escape his violent, jealous, and controlling behavior. Despite being subject to court bail conditions to keep away from her, Masum confronted Akter as she pushed their seven-month-old son in a pram along a street, then launched a ferocious knife attack that inflicted multiple stab wounds including to her neck, severing vital arteries. Prosecutors described the attack as cold-blooded, calculated, and premeditated, noting Masum had tried to lure Akter out of the refuge with fake GP appointments and had disabled his phone's tracking on the day of the murder. CCTV footage showed Masum spinning Akter and the pram around, stabbing her repeatedly, and kicking her after she fell, before disposing of the knife. Masum pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder, with the prosecution emphasizing his stalking, threatening, and assaulting behavior over months leading to the fatal attack. The case highlights the tragic consequences of domestic violence and the challenges survivors face even when seeking refuge and legal protection.