Jury clears woman, 22, of Wolverhampton murder

A woman was this afternoon cleared of murdering a car cleaner in Wolverhampton after telling a jury he died when she grabbed his knife as he tried to attack her.

Reena Suri wept as the verdict was returned.

The 22-year-old had been on a night out in the Walkabout bar in the city centre when, she told the court, she was kidnapped by Hussain Ali Mohammed in Newhampton Road, Whitmore Reans.

She said she had never seen the 26-year-old, of Newhampton Road East, before he dragged her into his Toyota Avensis car, locked her in and drove around Whitmore Reans.

She told the Wolverhampton Crown Court jury she tried to grab the steering wheel in a bid to crash the car and said Mr Mohammed repeatedly demanded sex, at one point hitting her face.

Judge Patrick Thomas QC this afternoon ordered the immediate release of Suri when the majority verdict was delivered following eight hours of deliberation.