GUILTY UK - Hashim Ijazuddin, 21, and Saqib Hussain, 20, car crash A46 Leicester 11 Feb 2022 *Murder Arrests*

[RusselSprout]

Ansreen accused of "letting the cat out of the bag"​

Mr Thompson told Ansreen she had "let the cat out of the bag, rather" when she admitted the two cars - the Audi and Seat - kept a distance apart during the meeting at Tesco.
Mr Thompson said: "The reason the cars separated was so that Saqib wouldn't see another car with you. That's what you said."
She replied: "I didn't want him to feel uncomfortable."
Mr Thompson said: "If he'd seen the two cars together he'd have smelt a rat. The purpose of moving the cars apart was so that he wouldn't see two cars together."

Ansreen asked to explain how they would stop Saqib​

Ansreen has insisted again that none of them had any idea Saqib was in the Skoda but that when she realised she wanted to meet him somewhere else. She said: "He drove off. We wanted to speak to him in the car park but he drove off."
Mr Thompson said: "You might have wanted to speak to him but he drove off. Why not say to yourself, 'It hasn't worked, he's not going to talk to us, let's go home'?"
She said: "He would have just carried on."
Mr Thompson said: "How did you think you were going to be able to stop him if he didn't want to talk to you?" She said they would stop the car. Mr Thompson said: "Does this involve blocking him in?" She said she didn't know.

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'You rammed him off the road'​

Mr Thompson asked why Ansreen didn't make the chase end when the cars were travelling up the A46 at more than 90mph. Mr Thompson said: "What were you doing?"
She said: "I just had my head down. I didn't know why everything's getting so difficult. I didn't know why we couldn't end it."
He replied: "Well you did end it in the end - you rammed him off the road."
He added: "Did you say to Rekan, tell Raees to abandon the chase?" She said she didn't and Mr Thompson asked her how she thought they were going to stop Saqib when they were going at 100mph. She said she didn't know.
Mr Thompson said: "This was a full-blown chase to stop this man and the only way you could do it was by ramming him off the road."

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Ansreen questioned about Rekan Karwan's balaclava​

Mr Thompson is going through the CCTV footage from after the eight defendants returned to Leicester and were caught on camera walking around the Northfields area of the city. Rekan Karwan was wearing a balaclava in the footage. Ansreen insisted she had not noticed him wearing it and that he had not been wearing it in the car.
Mr Thompson tells her that Saqib said in the 999 call during the pursuit that people were wearing balaclavas. She said that she never saw him wearing it in the car.

'There was no conversation'​

There's a period between CCTV clips where the prosecution cannot say where the group was. Ansreen said they were just walking around. She said she didn't know the area so she didn't know where they went.
Mr Thompson asked: "What what were people talking about in that hour?" She replied: "There was no conversation."
He said none of the group, including Ansreen, looked upset on the CCTV footage of them walking around. She insisted she had been upset.

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Ansreen asked about Raees flicking Mahek's hair on CCTV clip​

Mr Thompson asked Ansreen about a CCTV clip showing Raees Jamal flicking Mahek's hair as they walked along the road in the hours after the crash.
He asked her: "That doesn't suggest anyone was devastated by what happened on the road does it? That's horseplay.
"That sums up the attitude of everyone. Two people killed, rammed off the road - I suggest - and what's going on? Horseplay." Ansreen insisted again that she was upset by what happened.

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[Tortoise]

Mr Upward asked if she and Mahek spoke about what had happened as they drove home to Stoke at 4am. She said: "We were just really quiet and just wishing they were both okay."
The judge asked her: "Who's both?" She said: "Saqib and Hashim."

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

Thanks for the updates RusselSprout.

Did she slip up here? Did she admit knowing there were two men in the Skoda? I thought she said she didn't realise it was Saqib until after he'd left the carpark, because he usually drove a Mercedes, so at what point did she find out he had a driver with him? She said she wasn't listening to the calls either.

 

[RusselSprout]

You always spot things I wouldnt @Tortoise ! Yeah I would say that was a slip up but her whole performance today IMO was just a total shambles, not believable. Just put her head down and covered her head with her hands? Didn't hear any of the phone conversations in the car? 8 of them didn't speak when they walked around for an hour after the murders? Didn't speak to mahek in the car on the journey home?

Is it too much to hope that at least one of the 8 defendants might tell us the truth ?

 

[HongKongPhooey]

You always spot things I wouldnt @Tortoise ! Yeah I would say that was a slip up but her whole performance today IMO was just a total shambles, not believable. Just put her head down and covered her head with her hands? Didn't hear any of the phone conversations in the car? 8 of them didn't speak when they walked around for an hour after the murders? Didn't speak to mahek in the car on the journey home?

Is it too much to hope that at least one of the 8 defendants might tell us the truth ?

I think M Patel is most likely closest so far, based on what we’ve heard.

I’m not personally buying anything that Ansreen is selling. She apparently zoned out of her entire surroundings due to having “things on her mind”. She also apparently was coerced into having sex, if you take her version at face value.

All JMO

 

[Legal]

Seems to me like she's throwing her daughter under the bus.

 

[RusselSprout]

Trial resumes​

The trial has resumed this morning. Ansreen Bukhari is in the witness box.

'I was in shock'​

TikTok star Mahek Bukhari's mum Ansreen Bukhari said: "Mr Patel went off home and there were seven of us in the car. Mr Jamal and Mr Karwan left and went back to where the cars were parked and he rejoined the group. We didn't see where they were going but they came back."
Collingwood Thompson KC is continuing to cross-examine Ansreen Bukhari. She told the prosecution barrister Mr Thompson: "I didn't drive back to Stoke. I was in shock."

Six defendants seen on CCTV​

Six of them defendants are seen walking down Sutton Avenue into Sutton Place. CCTV images are being shown to the jury members.

'Putting your heads together concocting a false story'​

Mr Thompson: "What were you doing those 20 minutes down in that location?"
Ms Bukhari said: "We were just sat in the car. I was just sitting down."
Mr Thompson: "If you wanted to get back to Stoke, Mahek was in the car. So you just could have driven home? Why wait 20 minutes?"
Ms Bukhari said: "Mahek was just talking to me?"
Mr Thompson: "What were the others doing there?"
She replied: "The others were in the other car. I didn't know until they were parked up."
Mr Thompson: "I say to you. You were all together walking around together. Within that hour or so - including the 20 minutes - putting your heads together to conconct a false story."
Ms Bukhari said: "No, not at all."

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'I went to Leicester that was it'​

Mahek said in a police interview she had gone straight to Nottingham. It was played to the jury.
Mr Thompson: "That was a lie wasn't it?" Ansreen Bukhari, 47, nodded and agreed.
He went on to explain a phone conversation. He said: "We've made up a story. We said we were on our way to Nottingham and they were just driving past - the idiots - they lost control and because our cars were there they thought it was us."
Mr Thompson went on: "Nottingham is mentioned. In your presence."
"I don't know about Nottingham. We made our way to Leicester," Ms Bukhari replied. "I did not intervene [during Mahek Bukhari's police interview] and say that is wrong. I did not know why she was saying Nottingham. I did not know why we were going to Nottingham. I didn't say to. There was too much going on."
"You didn't correct her because it was part of this false story," Mr Thompson added. "You went to Leicester to go get Mr Hussain's phone and you arrived in numbers."

'Only way to stop him was ramming him off the road'​

Mr Thompson said: "That's why balaclavas were warned. Seen on Mr Karwen. You wanted to inflict violence on Mr Hussain. When he went in his car, the object was to stop him, but the only way to stop him was ramming him off the road?"
Ms Bukhari added: "No, it wasn't. That's not right."
Mr Thompson said: "My last point. You said the affair was a terrible mistake, I loved my husband and were conscious I was betraying."
Ms Bukhari replied: "Yes, it was. It was a mistake."

Location on January 3​

Mr Thompson is talking to Mahek Bukhari's mother Ansreen about her location on January 3. Her family had gone down to London to visit family and stay in a hotel.

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Text message exchange with Mahek​

Messages exchanged from Mahek to Ansreen read "he's gone, you can come". Ansreen says "a close family friend" came to fix an alloy wheel - which Mahek Bukhari had damaged - from Birmingham.
She said: "She went out with a cousin and my niece was with me."
Mr Thompson replied: "I suggest you were with someone else that night. The reason in a hotel was not to meet an old family friend. This was someone you wanted to spend the night with."
Ansreen replied: "My niece came over and she stayed with me."
Mr Thompson said: "You were with your Niece. You had this conversation with this family friend. I suggest this shows a different side to you. This is not obviously Saqib Hussain, but another man."

'I would never lie to protect her'​

Ansreen said the damage to the alloy wheel would cost just over £100. He left after checking the car over.
She said: "I said yesterday I would lie for my daughter [Mahek Bukhari]. But I would never lie to protect her. I feel terrible about what happened that night. I would never set out to inflict serious damage."
The judge is now asking Ansreen Bukhari to clarify a few points.

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Court will adjourn for a short break​

Mahek Bukhari is set to take to the witness box next. We will have all the updates as they happen.

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Mahek Bukhari evidence​

Mahek Bukhari has been called to the witness box.

Her TikTok story so far​

Mahek Buhkari, 23, has no previous criminal cautions or convictions against her. The fashion design student had lived at the address in Stoke since 2007.
"I enjoyed a close relationship with my mother," Mahek told the court. "I am what they call an influencer. I took it up to earn an income.
"I am a fashion influencer, companies would send me clothing to wear and I would be paid by the companies too. TikTok is a platform where you make videos. I am a content creator on there. I make short videos of myself, my family, my friends.
"In lockdown I started TikTok. Anything uploaded on there really. Funny videos, videos of me. It made me a reasonable income yeah."

Syon Lounge visit​

Mahek said: "Syon Lounge messaged me on Instagram for a food review promotion. I visited. They would give me free food and drinks if I review the food on Instragram and post it. It was me and my mum and my two cousins."
"I would visit my cousins regularly," she added.

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'My mum is my best friend'​

Mahek said: "Back in 2021 I was running an Audi A1 car. My mum was allowed to use my car. She was insured to use it. The car was damaged outside my home and I was given an Audi TT courtesy car."
Speaking about social media, Mahek said: "I would go to restaurants to earn money. My mum is my best friend. I feel more safe around her and she understands social media. So I could just chill with my mum."
Adding: "She would come with me on most occasions. We would use hotels to stay away from home. It would usually happen on the weekends. We would go Friday and come back Sunday."

Syon Lounge meeting​

Saquib Hussain and Ansreen Bukhari met at Syon Lounge. The meeting was not prearranged. Mahek says he could have seen her post on social media.
"That is how my followers know where I am and my followers can turn up," Mahek said. "I do not know the situation of why he turned up."
Mr Thompson asked: "What was that experience for you?"
She replied: "I was approached by a group of men and they sat around the table and he basically invited himself. He was asking questions. He mentioned I was on TikTok. A lot of questions about where I was from and what my income was. I don't really trust anyone.
"There were four of us ladies and four strangers, men, turned up to sit with us. It was an uncomfortable situation. They were there for an hour."

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

Bill was £80 over budget​

Mr Thompson said: "What happened to the payment of the bill?" Mahek answered: "We had gone £80 over budget. As soon as I had gone over. They said Saqib Hussain had paid for it. But I later paid the money myself."
She added: "As soon as I had left, my mum [Ansreen] said Mr Hussain was just a friend who had turned up." The meeting at Syon Lounge was in August 2020.
"I never met him again," she said. "He next made contact at the beginning of 2021. He wanted promotional work on how to make quick money. He had his username for his business on there. I then charged it for him. I expected to pay and he paid me. Around £500 was paid to me by him to promote his business on social media."

No 'sexual' nature​

Mahek confirmed nothing sexual happened between her and Saqib Hussain.

Fake images made​

A pornographic image with Mahek Bukhari's head was created by Saqib Hussain. "He posted it on TikTok," Mahek said. "That was sent around the world, globally. Two pictures were posted, one of them was my face. It was the same naked body but with different faces on."

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'I was embarrassed'​

Mahek told the court: "I didn't show my mum. It was fake. I was embarrassed. It was ruining my reputation. I posted it on my Instagram and told my followers to report the post and block the account.
"Saqib already admitted it was him. He had mentioned at the end of 2021 that he had been making images of me. He admitted making it to my via text messages."
Adding: "He wanted attention so my mum [Ansreen] would reply to him. He started harrassing me at the end of 2021. He was wanting the money he gave me for the promotional work back. He wanted the £500 back."

'Mum wanted to end it - it broke me'​

Mahek said: "He was posting and commenting on my live videos saying 'your mum is having an affair'. He was doing it to try and get my attention.
"I spoke to my mum about it. She first said it didn't happen and denied it. He had sexual images of her which I showed her and then she admitted it to me.
"She told me about the relationship and wanted to end it and get on with my life. Before she had made a mistake and felt really bad about it. It broke me finding that out because she loves my dad."

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'Ghost accounts'​

Ghost accounts began to bombard Mahek's social media accounts at the end of 2021. She blocked most of the accounts. Her mum wanted to end the relationship after admitting the fling was a mistake.

'I always had a perfect family'​

Speaking about her family and the affair, Mahek said: "I just wasn't accepting it. I was just broken. I have always had a perfect family. We are such a small family and my dad loves my mum so much. 'What was the reason for dad not showing you enough emotion?' Questions were going around my head. 'Why did you do what you did?'"

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'I was drained'​

Mahek said: "I was drained [by the situation]. It was bringing my energy down. Because we [me and mum] are so close. It was confusing. I have always been there for her.
"My mum was crying everyday. We worked at home at the time. I would get her breakfast. She would tell me 'I can't do this anymore. I can't do this anymore'.
"My mum worked for the Department for Work and Pensions."

'Saqib was unstable'​

Speaking about Saqib Hussain, Mahek said: "Saqib was unstable. My mum would call him 'pyscho'. He said during the messages he was a 'crazy b*******'.
"He said he would come down to our home in Stoke with his friends and abuse was given down the phone. He said he would do everything he could to break my mum and dad's relationship."

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'We wanted restraining order'​

Mahek said: "We wanted to get a restraining order on Saqib but mum didn't want police coming to the house because then the affair would be known [by my dad]."

'Basically block him'​

Mahek told the court: "We were advised to give him no attention at all. Block him and stop taking his calls and messages."
Mr Thompson said: "What did you mum do, did she take that advice?"
Mahek replied: "No, not really. She didn't block him. She was scared of what he would do."

Text messages​

Messages from Mahek to her mum Ansreen on January 4 are being shown to the court.

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

 

[RusselSprout]

'Get him jumped'​

Mr Thompson asked the defendant: "How were you feeling on January 4? What made you angry?"
"I was angry. Saqib was being disrespectful [to my mum]," Mahek replied. Mr Thompson asked: "The threat was to be jumped by guys. Was that threat carried out?"
"No it wasn't," said Mahek. She later on to send three messages on January 4. It was messages to get people to do various things.
"I had no intention of carrying that out," Mahek replied. She admitted "things got worse" in the weeks that followed.

Saqib 'had mates with him'​

Mr Thompson ran through the timeline of messages on February 8 this year. Saqib said he "had mates with him" and Mahek believed he was going to do something "really violent towards her family".
Messages included Saqib was going to be a "motherf******" and send the explicit, intimate videos of her mother to her brother. Saqib said in the messages it was "making him f****** crazy". He then threatened to send messages to Mahek's father.
This was the moment Mahek says she contacted Rekan Karwan. "He is someone I can trust," said Mahek. "It was to do with the threats for money from Saqib."

Mahek Bukhari murder trial live court updates on day 15

The defence cases in the TikTok murder trial have started on day 15 - live court updates

www.leicestermercury.co.uk