A DOMESTIC violence charity is planning to use human rights legislation to sue Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service after a young mother was murdered by her violent husband.
Taxi driver Malik Mannan, 36, stabbed his wife Sabina Akhtar, 26, to death at their home in Longsight.
He was found guilty of murder by a jury who deliberated for 20 minutes - one of the quickest murder trial guilty verdicts in Greater Manchester's legal history - and jailed for a minimum of 17 years.
It emerged that Sabina told police Mannan had attacked her 25 times previously - and even predicted he would kill her. But prosecutors decided not to press charges, leaving him free to murder.
Today the charity Refuge said it would argue that GMP and the CPS failed to protect Sabina.
Human rights lawyer Helena Kennedy QC said the legal action could become a landmark test case and Sabina's family told the M.E.N. today that they would back the action '100 per cent'.
Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, said: "Under human rights legislation, the authorities have a duty to protect persons and we believed in this case the police and CPS failed spectacularly and if they had handled it better she might still be alive today. I believe the only way to change policy and practice is to hit them where it hurts - in their wallets."
Sabina's family believe she would still be alive today if police and prosecutors had listened to her cries for help.
Sabina reported Mannan's attacks and death threats months before her murder in September last year.
She told them: "I genuinely believe that if he gets the opportunity, he will not hesitate to kill me. I will support any police prosecution in this case and I am happy to give evidence in court if necessary."
Threats
Mannan was arrested for threatening to kill her but bailed last July with a warning not to contact her. He ignored the order and was arrested trying to get into her house.
The case was reviewed by a CPS lawyer who decided there was no case to answer despite the previous complaints. Bail restrictions on Mannan were dropped and he sent Sabina a text boasting: "I am a free man. Case file closed. Isn't it great?"
Four days later he stabbed her to death with a kitchen knife.
Sabina's uncle, Reaz Talukder, said today: "This action should be taken very seriously. We support this action 100 per cent because in our view the CPS and the police have been negligent. Sabina's parents blame the CPS for their wrong decision not to charge Malik Mannan at an earlier stage."
The CPS apologised for failing to bring charges earlier and lawyers were retrained on domestic violence policy. Ms Kennedy said class actions had been brought in the USA before.
She said: "I'm not someone who would automatically reach for the law to solve policy problems. The police failure to act in domestic violence is something well known to us and in fact they have improved their game considerably but in some forces it is not good enough."
In a statement, GMP said it had not received any notification of any legal action in connection with the case but would work with any organisation or individual whose aim it is to protect victims of domestic abuse.
The CPS added: "It would be inappropriate for the CPS to discuss a particular civil action when we have not received details of any such action from anyone. If a civil action is taken against the CPS then we would respond to that action. Sabina came to Britain in January 2005 after her arranged marriage to Mannan in Bangladesh two years earlier.
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GMP - CPS sued over murder
May 14, 2009
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Showing comments 1 to 14 and replies | View All
stephenc, prestwich (14/05/2009 at 10:58)
Billy Brag (14/05/2009 at 11:15)
Lets face it, this chap was clearly mentally ill and would have attemted to murder her at some stage wether he'd had a fine or not.
We haven't got any of the facts about the previous action taken by the cps or the police so lets wait for the outcome of the enquiry.
Come-On-City. Manchester. (14/05/2009 at 11:33)
You have everything wrong, I think you need to read all of the article.
Nemo (14/05/2009 at 11:38)
I M Freeloader MP, Westminster (14/05/2009 at 11:45)
"... I believe the only way to change policy and practice is to hit them where it hurts - in their wallets."
Does Ms Horley realise that they don't have wallets; they have access to the seemingly bottomless public purse.
Richy007, Manchester (14/05/2009 at 12:12)
Of course I am sorry that this girl has been killed but you cannot blame that on anybody else other than the husband.
Billy Brag (14/05/2009 at 13:11)
14/05/2009 at 11:33
Enlighten me, and please use simple words so i can understand.
Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, said: "Under human rights legislation, the authorities have a duty to protect persons and we believed in this case the police and CPS failed spectacularly and if they had handled it better she might still be alive today."
I'm making the point that if he was going to do it, he would have done it at some point, the police couldn't protect this woman 24hrs a day for the rest of her life and they never will be able to.
How does 'refuge' suggest these cases are dealt with to prevent these situations?
Domestic abuse needs to be dealt with properly but what are the facts of the case? What happened? What was said? Did the victim provide a statement? Any other witnesses?
These are the facts we know nothing about and therefore cannot make a fair assesment on the situatuion.
Come-On-City. Manchester. (14/05/2009 at 17:14)
Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, said: "Under human rights legislation, the authorities have a duty to protect persons and we believed in this case the police and CPS failed spectacularly and if they had handled it better she might still be alive today."
This is what Refuge argue and why they will try to fine the CPS and maybe GMP - NOT the murderer as you previously stated. They argue that the only way for the CPS to take better care next time is to him them in the pocket.
You write that "if he was going to do it, he would have done it at some point, the police couldn't protect this woman 24hrs a day for the rest of her life and they never will be able to."
The logic of your point is that Police should therefore not protect banks and cannot be held accountable for not doing so, even if a person threatens to rob it 25 times because bank robbers will rob them someday anyhow.
The article says that in court it said Sabina told police Mannan had attacked her 25 times previously. However the CPS recommended to the GMP to impose a warning when a restraining order, or moving the victim would have been better options - in short the CPS didnt take this case seriously when all signs suggested they should have done.
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (14/05/2009 at 17:31)
Angry Mike, Middleton (14/05/2009 at 18:49)
How are GMP to blame in this matter, the male was arrested and interviewed yet the CPS in there wisdom decide not to charge, another case of the CPS playing judge and jury without putting the victim first.
My guess is this case isn't as straight forward as it seems, but sadly this is just one of many incidents of this nature.
Gringo The Mexican Mancunian (14/05/2009 at 20:43)
Martin Rathfelder, East Chorlton (14/05/2009 at 20:49)
Hamish Macbeth, Whitefield (14/05/2009 at 21:45)
Does this argument extend to the early release of prisoners. Can I sue the Government because my burglar was let out early from his previous sentence for burglary owing to a shortage of prison spaces - and then burgled my house when he should have been inside?
Can "Refuge" - if they receive Government grants - be sued if they fail to offer housing to a females who then return home and are murdered.
Can "Refuge" be sued under equal ops legislation for not catering for males ? their wrtiteup says "Refuge is a national charity for women and children experiencing domestic violence"
This argument may open a huge can of worms...
Come-On-City. Manchester. (15/05/2009 at 01:51)
What on earth are you rambling on about now?
What has pc madness got to do with anything? Who is blaming the police and cps for everything?
If the facts in the article about what came out in court are true then the CPS will probably have a case to answer.
The lady said she was threatened 25 times by this guy and the CPS chose to give him a warning - now you as a long admirer of throwing the book and the almighty birch at people should admit this was very leniant and didn't protect the lady at all.
More substantial measures should and could have been taken but they weren't and only days afterwards she was murdered.