'Forgive me': Smethwick murderer finally accepts his guilt as he is jailed for life

Ameen Thabet murdered 47-year-old Najeeba Al-Ariqy at her home in Sutton Road, in Aston, Birmingham, on March 23 last year, before staging a fake burglary in a bit to put police off his trail.

He visited her home around lunchtime that day and then returned on the evening, when he claimed to have found her collapsed.

Thabet, 50, of West Park Road, in Smethwick, also staged a burglary to cover up his tracks.

He was unanimously found guilty of her murder after jurors deliberated for just one hour and 52 minutes on Wednesday.

And at his sentencing hearing this morning at Birmingham Crown Court, Thabet's defence counsel, David Walbank QC, told the court that he had been instructed by his client to say that the verdict the jury had delivered on Wednesday afternoon was the correct one – and he now accepts that he committed the offence alleged.

A letter, written overnight by Thabet, which was read out to the court, apologised to Najeeba's family and also to his own family – and that added he seeks forgiveness from them all and God.

Coverage of the case:

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• Murder accused's wife died from pressure to the neck, jury is told

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• Husband accused of wife's murder told officers he was a family friend

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Mr Walbank added: "I spoke to him this morning and he is deeply remorseful. He knows there is absolutely nothing he can say or do to bring her back, or dispel to the hurt he has caused to her family and friends.

"The only course open to him is to come clean in the way he has instructed me to do in the submission I make. He hopes by doing the right thing and accepting responsibility it may at some stage assist her family in finding closure.

"He was adamant that when he made his way to her home, he had no intention to do any harm to her. The trigger for the tragic events was an argument between them after he arrived at the property. There was an argument between them and he accepts he lost control."

Judge Melbourne Inman QC jailed Thabet for life with a minimum of 18 years.

He told him: "The killing itself, by strangulation, was sustained violence and Najeeba’s suffering, knowing what was being done to her and by whom, must have been very real indeed.

"This was no sudden loss of temper followed by realisation and remorse. Having murdered Najeeba you clearly acted in a very cool and calculated manner to cover your crime."