Monster smiled at partner as he cut girl's throat

A "MANIPULATIVE monster" with a history of violence against women "smiled directly" into his partner's face as he held their eight-year-old child in front of him and cut the little girl's throat, the Central Criminal Court heard.

- BY EOIN REYNOLDS

Aisha Al Katib, 32, told the hearing yesterday of her daughter Malika's final moments at the hands of Muhammed Al Shaker Al Tamimi. He has pleaded guilty to the child's murder and was sentenced to life in prison yesterday.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a consecutive 10-year sentence on Al Tamimi for Aisha's attempted murder. He will serve the 10-year sentence before beginning the life term.

During the attack, Malika had bravely told her father to stop stabbing her mother before he grabbed the eight-year-old and turned the knife on her.

The court heard that in the months before the murder, Al Tamimi began contacting Aisha, telling her he was concerned Malika was not behaving in accordance with the Islamic faith.

Aisha said she should never have given Al Tamimi a second chance after he previously held her against her will and forced her to have sex without her consent. She described him as a "manipulative monster" who had controlled her for years before murdering their daughter and attempting to murder her.

She told the court of the moment he stabbed Malika having already stabbed her, depriving her of the use of her legs.