A Syrian asylum seeker who carried out a savage and prolonged attack on his wife, attempting to decapitate her in their family home, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 19 years and six months.
Wahib Albaradan, 37, launched the “persistent and frenzied” assault on 27-year-old Salam Alshara in November 2023 at their home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. Armed with two kitchen knives and a razor, he left the mother-of-four bleeding to death on the floor of their children’s bedroom.
On Tuesday, Leeds Crown Court heard harrowing details of the murder, described by Judge Rodney Jameson KC as the culmination of a “controlling, jealous, and manipulative” relationship. The court was told Albaradan had become obsessively paranoid and accused his wife of dishonouring him through imagined affairs, leading to increasing control and intimidation.
Originally from Syria, Albaradan arrived in the UK in 2020, with Ms Alshara joining him a year later. Though neighbours described her as “timid and withdrawn”, they said she seemed kind and caring. However, behind closed doors, her husband’s behaviour became increasingly violent and erratic.
Prosecutor Nicholas Worsley KC said Albaradan had confiscated Ms Alshara’s phone, demanded she wear a niqab, and became suspicious of her using WhatsApp and other messaging apps. He reportedly told her stories of men in Syria who killed their wives and served only short prison terms, hinting at similar intentions.
Tragically, Ms Alshara confided in her sister that she feared for her life, worried he would carry out his threats. On the day of the murder, the couple had another argument, during which Ms Alshara may have expressed her intention to leave. In a brutal response, Albaradan launched a sustained attack, slashing her throat with a razor after stabbing her multiple times.
A post-mortem revealed more than 20 sharp-force injuries, including defensive wounds that showed she had fought desperately to survive.
Following the murder, Albaradan fled the house, having removed all phones to prevent his wife from calling for help. CCTV later captured him walking barefoot through the streets of Ravensthorpe, and he was seen discarding bloodstained clothing in a neighbour’s garden shed. He was arrested the following morning after a large-scale police search.
Albaradan, who later pleaded guilty to murder, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia while in custody. He told psychiatrists he believed Ms Alshara was communicating with men online and claimed he would have killed her in Syria, calling it an “honour crime” that would not have carried serious consequences.
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In a powerful victim impact statement read in court, Ms Alshara’s grieving parents said: “A crime committed treacherously had taken the light of our life away. We will never be the same again.”
Defence barrister Geraldine Kelly KC argued that Albaradan was suffering from a significant mental disorder and had been a victim of human trafficking. However, Judge Jameson ruled that while his mental health had some bearing, the severity and cruelty of the attack could not be overlooked.
“You planned and carried out a monstrous act,” the judge said. “You deprived your children of their mother and left them with the legacy of a brutal act committed in their own home.”
Albaradan will serve at least 19 years and six months before he is eligible for parole, though he may never be released if deemed a continued risk to the public.
The case has reignited concerns about domestic violence, particularly within vulnerable communities, and the need for increased support and safeguarding for women at risk.
