A woman has appeared in court charged in connection with the alleged murder of a 37-year-old woman found dead in Cardiff earlier this year.
Maryam Delavary, 48, of Australia Road, White City Estate, west London, pleaded not guilty to two serious charges during a short hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday.
Delavary is accused of preventing a lawful burial and doing acts tending to pervert the course of public justice. The charges relate to the death of Paria Veisi, whose body was discovered at a property in the Penylan area of the city on 19 April.
The defendant spoke only to confirm her name and enter not guilty pleas to both charges. She was granted bail ahead of a trial scheduled to begin on 6 October at Cardiff Crown Court. The trial is expected to last four weeks.
Co-defendant Alireza Askari, 41, of Penylan, Cardiff, has been charged with the murder of Ms Veisi but was not arraigned at the same hearing. He remains in custody and is due to face the court at a later date.
The case has attracted significant attention, with police confirming that Ms Veisi was first reported missing on 12 April after failing to return home from work in the Canton area of Cardiff. A week-long search followed, during which her disappearance was treated as suspicious.
Tragically, her body was discovered on 19 April at a residential address in Penylan. South Wales Police launched a full-scale murder investigation shortly after the grim discovery.
An inquest into Ms Veisi’s death was opened and adjourned earlier this week at Pontypridd Coroner’s Court. The inquest heard that the provisional cause of death was recorded as stab wounds to the neck and upper chest following a post-mortem examination.
Area coroner Patricia Morgan adjourned the inquest pending the outcome of the ongoing police investigation and criminal proceedings.
The Crown Prosecution Service has stated that Delavary is not accused of participating in the killing itself, but she is alleged to have taken actions after the fact which hindered the investigation or prevented Ms Veisi from receiving a lawful burial in accordance with legal procedures.
Detectives continue to appeal for information as they piece together the events leading up to Ms Veisi’s death.
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A spokesperson for South Wales Police said:
“We understand the concern and distress this incident has caused within the local community. We are committed to establishing the full circumstances of Ms Veisi’s death and bringing those responsible to justice. Our thoughts remain with her family during this incredibly difficult time.”
Ms Veisi, originally from Iran, was believed to have been living and working in Cardiff for several years. Tributes poured in on social media following the news of her death, with friends and colleagues describing her as “kind”, “hard-working”, and “full of life”.
The court proceedings are being closely monitored, and a reporting restriction may be considered as the case progresses toward trial, due to the potential sensitivity of the evidence involved.
Delavary is expected to return to court alongside her co-defendant later this year for further hearings ahead of the October trial.
Members of the public with information relevant to the case are urged to contact South Wales Police via the dedicated investigation line or Crimestoppers, anonymously.
