Mother 'watched daughter die'

Zahbeena Navsarka and Subhan Anwar, both 21, from Riddings Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, are charged with murdering "vulnerable and defenceless" Sanam Navsarka, who died with fractures to all her limbs in May last year.

The couple are accused of repeatedly assaulting Sanam over a month-long period or encouraging each other by standing by and doing nothing to save the little girl.

Continuing the prosecution's opening of the case, which began on Tuesday at Bradford Crown Court, Julian Goose QC said: "Sanam died as a result of really serious injuries, deliberately inflicted upon her, over a period of up to four weeks before her death. It was not over a short period of time, it was not unexpected or unpredictable. It was over a long time as they both watched that two-year-old little girl in severe pain deteriorate until she died.

"The defendants either inflicted that violence upon her together or one encouraged the other, standing by and doing nothing over all those weeks whilst she was being repeatedly assaulted and severely injured."

Mr Goose continued: "The conduct of the defendants, together, when they saw her deteriorate was from a normal, happy child to one in severe pain, unable to walk and suffering regular fits."

The jury of six men and six women were told that the defendants left Sanam alone and dying in their home while they went to register with their GP on the day of her death. The court also heard how tiny handprints and bloodstains were found inside cupboards at the home in Huddersfield and also at a former property on Howley Walk, in Batley, West Yorkshire.

Anwar, who is not Sanam's father, admitted to police after his arrest that he put the girl in the cupboard as a punishment and said Navsarka punished her in the same way.

When the couple were interviewed by police after Sanam's death on May 8 2008, they blamed each other for the injuries Sanam had suffered and both claimed to be frightened of the other, Mr Goose said.

Both deny murder and Anwar also denies a charge of causing or allowing the death of a child. Navsarka has admitted an alternative charge of failing to protect Sanam.