Three years on from the death of Sarah Hussain, the truth about what happened is still not known. After a coroner delivered her conclusion, Thomas George looks back at the evidence heard in the horrific case.
It's one of the most mysterious and horrifying cases Greater Manchester has seen in recent years. On a balmy summer's evening, a group of children were playing in the street between rows of terraced houses.
Lisa Judge ruled Sarah's death was not suicide, but added: "But if she didn't kill herself, who did? It is that answer I am unable to provide on the balance of probabilities." When officers arrived shortly after 7.30pm on July 23, 2021, Sarah was sitting at the side of the road, it was said. A crowd of people were gathered around her. The flames had died down, but she was severely burned.
While the aftermath of the shocking incident was captured on CCTV and body-worn footage, the moment Sarah was set alight was not. Detectives relied on the accounts of those who were there, or had spoken to her. It became clear two different stories were emerging, the coroner was told. Senior paramedic Duncan Mayoh said Sarah claimed 'her husband had thrown liquid on her and set her on fire'. After hearing several days of evidence last year, coroner Lisa Judge halted the inquest to allow the police body-worn footage to be enhanced in a bid to establish what Sarah had said.
After growing up in a poor village in northern Pakistan, Sarah moved to the UK in September 2012 to get married. She went to live with her then-husband in Oldham and found a job at Tesco. Giving evidence at the inquest, Mr Mahmood described the marriage as a 'transaction', adding that he and Sarah planned to have children together.
During a family visit to Pakistan in 2020, Ms Bibi said her daughter burst into tears and 'seemed worried' about returning to the UK. Ms Wright said Sarah 'did not know what to do' as she was 'totally reliant' on Mr Mahmood. "She didn't feel she had anywhere else to turn to," she added. "She was very isolated."
On the afternoon of July 23, Sarah made a video call to her mother and family back in Pakistan. Ms Bibi said her daughter seemed 'happy' during the conversation and promised to call back later, it was said. She burst into the living room and confronted Mr Mahmood, who was drinking brandy and watching TV with Hasnain Mahmood and their nephew, Murtza Safeer, the coroner heard.
Around that time, CCTV footage showed Hasnain Mahmood talking to a distressed-looking Sarah in the back yard, the court was told. He was seen 'manhandling' her before appearing to 'pull' her back in the house, it was claimed in court. "She got up and got the lighter and everything just went boom," he told the court. "All I could see was flames."
Ms Kayani initially told police=Mr Mahmood seemed 'worried and out of breath' during the call, the court heard. "He said his wife had burned herself and asked me to pick the children up," she added. "I thought this was strange, his lack of concern for his wife." Sarah was taken to hospital and died the next day.
In the days that followed, flowers piled up at the junction of East Street and Cecil Street as forensic officers combed the inside of the Mahmood family home. Two open bottles of accelerant were found in the kitchen, as well as liquid on the floor nearby, the court was told. "It would seem more likely that the wearer would ignite it in an accessible location," Ms Wilson added. "It's less likely she would reach around to ignite it at the rear."
Ms Khan recalled several members of Mr Mahmood’s family arriving at the scene shortly after Sarah ran into the street ablaze. She described Mr Mahmood's family as 'pushy' in court, adding: "They have a presence in Bury. People usually find them intimidating." The court heard, is allegedly added: "Watch what I do to you. You're going to be six feet under like Sarah."
"His recollection was minimal, fractured and inconsistent with others," the coroner said. She added: "His actions showed a wholesale lack of care for his wife and went further - an absolute disregard for her wellbeing."
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