Teenager who 'executed' former girlfriend is jailed

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Gulamyr Akhter, 19, stabbed A-Level student Asha Muneer, 18, to death on a tow path in Reading after she rejected him.

He was found guilty of murder today at Reading crown court and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 20 years.

Judge Zoe Smith told him: "This was nothing less than a deliberate execution. This was a brutal attack with a knife which you carried with you to kill her. The killing was carefully premeditated and planned."

Akhter had bombarded Miss Muneer with more than 600 calls and texts in the two weeks before her death in January. He also lied to police, claiming he did not have her number on the mobile he gave them and had not contacted her for weeks.

He was "embittered by rejection" after the student ended their relationship in July last year and sent her abusive text messages. One read: "I'm going to make your life hell." Another said: "I wish you go through hell and you die."

Akhter was accused of repeatedly stabbing Miss Muneer as she walked through Reading after a shift at a Laura Ashley store, where she worked as a part-time sales assistant.

The last sighting of her on CCTV footage is shortly before 6.30pm on January 18. She is seen walking towards the underpass where her body was found nearly two hours later.

John Price QC, prosecuting, told the court Akhter had arranged to be dropped off by friends near Brunel Retail Park. He followed her, attacking her on a towpath beside the River Kennet, near the retail park.

Judge Smith said: "Asha Muneer was a beautiful and popular girl who was embracing life. She wanted to go to university and have a career."

As the verdict was read out, Miss Muneer's parents wept in the public gallery.

In a statement they said: "We have been torn apart by the loss of Asha, who was a beautiful young lady who had so many dreams and hopes for her life, now those dreams will never come true all because of one man's pure evil and jealousy eaten up with rage.

"Because of this man we have lost everything and as a family the pain and suffering we feel only gets worse as days go by.

"The trial has been a terrible ordeal for us all but we are happy to see that justice has been done."