We read with great sadness details of the heinous murder of Ms Akter as she pushed her baby in a pram on a Bradford Street.
It transpires that her alleged murderer, Mr Masum, was bailed by magistrates in November after being charged with assaulting and threatening to kill Ms Akter, offences which he had denied.
Court documents show Mr Masum, who is from Oldham, was charged with threatening to kill Ms Akter on 24 November and assaulting her on 23 November. Both offences were alleged to have happened in Manchester. West Yorkshire Police and Greater Manchester Police have referred themselves to the IOPC.
The Right to Bail. Under section 4 Bail Act 1976, on each occasion that a person is brought before a court accused of an offence, or remanded after conviction for enquiries or a report, he must be granted bail without condition, if none of the exceptions to bail apply.
These circumstances are where the court has substantial grounds to believe that if you were granted bail you would: Fail to surrender; Commit further offences on bail; or. Interfere with witnesses.
Where a person is charged with attempted murder, manslaughter, rape or a serious sexual offence and they have already served a custodial sentence for a similar offence, they will only have a right to bail where there are exceptional circumstances.
Much of the debate in Ms Akter’s case will surround the risk assessment carried out by the police in relation to the risk Mr Masum presented and the information presented to the Courts. Should he have been out on bail? The latest BBC article can be found here.
We have a team of specialists acting on behalf of bereaved families engaged in inquests, including those investigating issues surrounding domestic violence and coercive and controlling behaviour. We also represent victims of abuse and pursue claims on their behalf to secure the necessary treatment required and compensation and, where the victims have lost their lives, their families to help claim compensation to cover dependency and other expenses.
If you or anyone you know requires any advice, then you can contact us by dialling 0113 284 5000 or by emailing us at pi@isonharrison.co.uk
