Wife guilty of murder 33 days after wedding

Mahamuda Khatun, 28, hid a knife inside her burka and plunged it into Mohammed Dilwer Miah's chest when he opened the door of their home in Stepney.

She had been having a relationship with another man and was angered that her husband wanted her to quit her job at an optician's.

Khatun then tried to cover up the murder, repeatedly lying to police and persuading a friend to give her a false alibi for the night of the killing.

When her alibi was exposed she said her husband had attacked her and she struck out in self defence.

But the jury found her guilty of murder yesterday by a 10-1 majority and she was sentenced to serve a minimum of 17 years.

The Common Serjeant of London Brian Barker QC told her: "In my own view it was wicked and I have no doubt much thought was put into your plans.

"It may well be that Mr Miah turned out to be something of a disappointment to you and you preferred a freer life. But I do not accept that you had no option. I believe you went into this marriage with your eyes open."

Bangladeshi-born Khatun had a previous arranged marriage which lasted eight months.

During the trial the court heard that on the night of the murder in August last year, Khatun had called the police to her home and claimed she was locked out but could smell burning.

When the fire brigade forced entry they found the husband on the floor with a single stab wound to the chest.

Khatun told police she had been at work in Liverpool Street that evening before going out with a friend.

But mobile phone mast evidence showed she had been much nearer the home and a minicab driver remembered taking her to Bethnal Green.