Zainulabedin Zaidi

Case overview

Zainulabedin Zaidi murdered Shazia Zaidi and their children, Saba Zaidi and Zeeshan Zaidi, at their home in Bracknell, Berkshire, during the Muslim religious festival of Eid. The killings involved stabbing Shazia in the face, the chest, and several times in the neck while the children were present, followed by the children running upstairs; Zeeshan managed to call 999. The bodies were found lying a few feet from each other, and both children were found to have died from stab wounds in their neck and to the throat.

Zaidi was extremely possessive and would not allow his wife to leave the house by herself, which led to their break-up in 1997. Shazia remarried in 1999 but did not tell her first husband, who had weekend access to their children. Zaidi massacred his former wife and children during one of these arranged visits.

Timeline

• 17 March 2000 — Shazia, Saba and Zeshan Zaidi were murdered at their home in Bracknell, Berkshire, during Eid.
• 22 March 2000 — Zainulabedin Zaidi was charged with three counts of murder.
• September 2005 — Mr Justice Moses ruled Zaidi would have to serve 20 years before parole is considered.
• 1 November 2000 — He received three life sentences for triple murder at Reading Crown Court.

Background

Shazia and her children lived at their home in Bracknell, Berkshire. Shazia had been a social worker at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.

Zaidi had been extremely possessive and would not allow his wife to leave the house by herself, which led to their break-up in 1997. Shazia remarried in 1999 but did not tell her first husband, and he had weekend access to their children.

Zaidi was described as a former banker who was unemployed when he killed his family. During the trial, the court heard that he was on a contact visit when he murdered his family in a jealous rage. The couple’s arranged Muslim marriage had irretrievably broken down, and Shazia had remarried in secret.

Shazia left Zaidi three years earlier after an unhappy nine-year marriage. She moved to Bracknell with her children and married new boyfriend Saeed Dogar in secret. On the day of the massacre, she had been planning an evening meal to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Adha with Mr Dogar and the children.

The offence

Zaidi stabbed and slashed Shazia to death. Prosecutor Adrian Redgrave QC told the court that: “He stabbed her in the face, the chest and several times in the neck… The two children saw that happening”.

While Zaidi was stabbing their mother, the children ran upstairs to the main bedroom. Zeeshan, six years old, managed to call 999; the call was taped and played to the jury. The call included the following verbatim exchanges:

Operator: “Emergency services”
Zeshan: “Hello, can I get that. Can I have the police please
Operator: The police, thank you.
Zeshan: Oh (noisy breathing and faint screaming heard in background). Can I? Can I?
Operator: If you can bear with me… if you stay on the line, I’m connecting you now.
Controller: Wants the police. Not ringing. (Noisy breathing)
Operator: Yeah, if you can stay on the line I will be as quick as I can.
Zeshan: Quickly, because my dad, erm, is getting my mum and stabbing and killing her.
Operator: Yeah, I’ll be as quick as I can for you now. (Screaming; bleeping tones; scream)
Operator: Hello, you’re through to the emergency services. Is anyone there?
Zeshan: “Don’t kill me, Daddy.” At this point the line went dead.

After his evening’s work was done, Zaidi went to an Indian takeaway and casually bought himself a curry.

Zaidi bolted the front door to prevent the children escaping and came upstairs after them. Zeeshan’s phone call ended when the line went dead.

Prosecutor Adrian Redgrave QC said: “In cold blood, he stabbed those two children… The conclusion is inescapable - the child that was last to die must have witnessed not only the killing of their mother, but also the other child. Each of those children died from stab wounds in their neck and to the throat”.

The trial heard that Mr Zaidi repeatedly stabbed Shazia in front of their daughter Saba, seven, and son Zeeshan, six. It was also heard that he had gone to his wife’s home in Bracknell to collect the children for a visit. The jury was told that the living room carpet was soaked with blood and the banisters were spattered.

After the killings, Mr Zaidi dumped the knife in a bowl under the sink and later destroyed his blood-spattered clothes.

Investigation and evidence

After the murders, Zaidi dumped the knife in a bowl under the sink and destroyed his blood-spattered clothes.

Forensic evidence linked Zaidi to the crime. Shazia’s blood was found splattered on Zaidi’s shoes and watch. A pair of protective gloves was also found; the jury was convinced not only of his guilt but also that his actions were premeditated.

Zaidi attempted to shift the blame onto Saeed Dogar, his ex-wife’s new husband.

The jury heard that Mr Zaidi was wearing gloves. The discovery of protective gloves that Zaidi had worn throughout the killing spree convinced the jury that his actions were premeditated.

Arrest and custody

Zaidi was arrested the day after the killings following a nationwide appeal by police. He was arrested in a house in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, on Saturday by officers investigating the deaths. After the brutal murders, Zaidi sought refuge with an acquaintance in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

Trial

Zaidi denied his involvement in the death of his family. He resolutely denied his involvement in the death of his family and tried to shift the blame onto Saeed Dogar.

At Reading Crown Court, Zaidi was convicted of three counts of murder after an eight day trial. The jury took two and a half hours to find him guilty of all three murders.

The prosecution said the murders were committed in cold blood. Adrian Redgrave said: “She did her best to defend herself, as witness deep cuts to both of her hands and blood spattered about the living room,” and: “The conclusion is inescapable - the child that was last to die must have witnessed not only the killing of their mother but also the other child.”

During the trial, the jury heard a recording of the 999 call in which one of the children pleaded: “Don’t kill me Daddy”. The child also told the operator: “My Dad is getting my Mum and stabbing and killing her”.

Zaidi refused to give evidence during the trial and had maintained a wall of silence during interviews with detectives. The only sentence he uttered to investigating officers throughout the proceedings was: “I did not murder my wife and two children.”

Sentencing

Zaidi was sentenced to three life sentences at Reading Crown Court for three counts of murder.

Mr Justice Moises said that the former banker had shown little remorse and had persisted in denying responsibility for the attack. The judge paid tribute to relatives of the victims, saying: “I admire the restraint and command of emotion you have all shown throughout this case.”

In September 2005, Mr Justice Moses stated that Zaidi would have to serve 20 years in prison before parole was considered.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome

Zaidi was found guilty of all three murders at Reading Crown Court in 2000 and was sentenced to three life sentences.

Aftermath and reactions

Detective Superintendent Trevor Davies of Thames Valley Police condemned Zaidi for putting witnesses through the ordeal of testifying. He said: “Without doubt this was one of the most appalling sights I have ever seen. “For him to deny it with the evidence so overwhelmingly compelling is diabolical. “The jury having to listen to that tape and the family members having to listen to that tape of Saba asking the police for help and Zeeshan pleading for his own life was dreadful.”

After the verdict, Shazia’s family issued a statement saying: “We are relieved that justice has been served, however this doesn't ease our grief of losing our three cherished loved ones. "The only comfort we have is that they are happy together in heaven, in peace, and finally free from the misery and torment he brought to their lives.”

Other details

Saba Zaidi was seven years old and Zeeshan Zaidi was six years old.

At the time of the murders, Zaidi was described as 34 and unemployed.

Saeed Dogar was described as Zaidi’s ex-wife’s new husband. The court heard that Mr Dogar was at a butcher’s shop in Chalvey, Slough, buying meat for the Muslim festival meal when the murders happened. It was said he paid for the meal by credit card at 3.45pm and arrived at Mrs Zaidi’s home to find the aftermath of the tragedy. The trial included that it was “physically impossible” for him to have been at the house at the time of the killing.