A judge described the attack as sustained and brutal. A man who stabbed his wife 40 times after she requested a divorce received a life sentence. The court called the assault deliberate and determined.
Syed Rafay Ahmad killed his wife Anam Rafay at their Manchester residence on January 27, 2026. She had informed him she wanted to end their 20-year arranged marriage.
Manchester Crown Court was told Ahmad had controlled and abused Anam for years, taking her earnings and using physical violence.
He initially denied murder but later pleaded guilty during a two-week trial. The sentence includes a minimum term of 27 years and two months.
Judge Suzanne Goddard KC noted Ahmad refused to accept the divorce and acted out of jealousy toward another man. She stated he chose to kill her that morning and could not tolerate the situation. The attack caused clear pain and suffering.
The court learned Anam had consulted a divorce mediator in June 2025 after meeting someone else online. She filed for divorce and served papers in October. Ahmad sought mediation, and she gave him another chance, but his conduct did not change.
The night before the killing, she repeated her wish for divorce. The next morning he attacked her with a kitchen knife at their Lulworth Gardens home. She fled to a neighbor but he followed and continued stabbing her, including in the neck.
Police found her unresponsive outside with multiple wounds. She died at the scene. A post-mortem confirmed 40 stab injuries to vital organs plus defensive wounds on her arms.
After the attack Ahmad returned home and messaged family groups admitting he had killed his wife.
During trial he claimed self-defense and abnormal mental functioning, saying he heard a voice warning of attack. He later changed his plea to guilty.
His lawyer called the event tragic and largely spontaneous from anger, noting the defendant’s regret.
A detective stated the death resulted from Ahmad’s violent actions and described it as a cold-blooded attack with lasting family impact. Domestic violence causes permanent harm.
Anam’s family called her innocent and condemned his denial of responsibility, noting he would face harsher punishment in Pakistan.
