Family 'did not help beaten wife'

Sabia Rani was subjected to sustained abuse

The family of a man who beat his wife to death must have known what was happening and did nothing to help her, a court has heard.

Sabia Rani, 19, was killed by Shazad Khan after coming to Leeds from Pakistan. He was jailed for life for her murder in January 2007.

Leeds Crown Court heard Ms Rani suffered serious tissue damage after being beaten over several weeks.

Four of Khan's relatives deny allowing the death of a vulnerable adult.

'Severe pain'

They are Khan's mother Phullan Bibi, 52, two of his sisters, Uzma Khan, 23, and Nazia Naureen, 28, and Ms Naureen's husband Majid Hussain, also 28.

Ms Khan and Mr Hussain also deny committing perjury at Khan's murder trial.

A pathologist told the court Ms Rani suffered multiple injuries to her ribs which were probably caused by "hard kicks, stamps or very hard punches".

Professor Archibald Malcolm said: "I believe there are three episodes of trauma here.

"One about three weeks prior to death, one about two weeks prior to death and a further episode of trauma 12 hours or less prior to death."

Khan was jailed for a minimum of 15 years

Earlier, Simon Myerson, QC, prosecuting, told the court medical evidence showed Ms Rani must have been in severe pain and very ill in the weeks before her death.

But he said the four defendants, who all lived in the same house in Oakwood Grange, Roundhay, Leeds, did not help her.

Instead, he told the jury, some blamed her injuries on evil spirits and curses.

He said: "These defendants ignored what would have been obvious, namely that she was being beaten and needed medical attention."

Mr Myerson told the jury that Ms Rani had been brought up in rural Pakistan and did not speak English.

She came to England five months before she died and was not allowed out of the house without a member of her husband's family.

The trial continues.