Mother-of-three found dead at home was 'unresponsive', murder trial hears

A woman who died at her home in Birmingham was discovered "unresponsive" and "incredibly cold" by paramedics, a trial heard.

Najeeba Al-Ariqy, aged 47, was found at her house on Sutton Street in Aston on March 23 last year at around 6pm, jurors were told.

Prosecutors allege Mrs Al-Ariqy was choked to death by husband Ameen Thabet, 50, from Smethwick, whom she married in 2019.

It is claimed the defendant, who denies murder, had staged a fake burglary after the offence alleged to have taken place before 12.37am.

David Arnold, an ambulance technician at the time of the offence, arrived at the scene in the ambulance at around 6.15pm, jurors heard.

Giving evidence at Birmingham Crown Court, he said it was "clear immediately" Mrs Al-Ariqy was unresponsive as he entered the house.

Mrs Al-Ariqy was found lying on her back on the floor of the living room and had no pulse when she was checked over, a judge heard.

Scarf

Jurors heard Mr Arnold removed a scarf from around the victim's neck – which had a small amount of blood on it – to take her pulse.

He described her as being "incredibly cold" and had put defibrillator pads on her chest to check the electrical activity in her heart, a court was told.

Mr Arnold said the patient was asystolic – there was no electrical activity in the heart – and his colleague, a paramedic, began to inspect the body.

Rigor mortis, a stiffening of the body, was found in the victim's wrists and legs, with hypostasis – blood pooling – found in the lower areas of the body, the court heard.

Mr David Walbank QC, defending 50-year-old Thabet, asked Mr Arnold whether any attempts were made to rouse the victim once they discovered her on the floor.

Mr Arnold said police had tried to speak with Mrs Al-Ariqy, whose eyes were open and were fixed, but were unsuccessful. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 6.18pm, a jury was told.

Ameen Thabet, of West Park Road, Smethwick, denies murder.

The trial continues.