Zarif Khan gains acquittal for client in ‘torture’ murder case

Zarif Khan, led by John Ryder QC of 6KBW College Hill, successfully represented JH, a 28-year-old man who was charged with Murder and Manslaughter in a multi-defendant case at Bradford Crown Court. After a 9-week trial before Mr Justice Goss, JH was unanimously acquitted of both Counts.

This was a particularly gruesome murder of an individual whereby he was (possibly unwittingly) lured into a premises and tortured by a number of defendants over many hours. The torture & humiliation involved repeated beatings (with fists, kicks and weapons); being choked unconscious, stripped naked and then implements inserted into the anus; urinating on the deceased and then dumping his naked body in the middle of a main road at night. It was described as “Extensive mental and physical suffering to the deceased & deliberate humiliation for pleasure of those present & obvious enjoyment of those participating in that violence.” The events of the torture were recorded on iPhones including the words “let me die” being captured and thereafter shared on social media platforms such as SnapChat.

JH did not give evidence upon advice. The other three defendants who were found guilty of murder were sentenced to a minimum terms of 30 and 25 years respectively. For more information see press links below:

1. BBC News
2. BBC Three Article