Samaira Nazir
Samaira Nazir, 25, was repeatedly stabbed and had her throat cut by her 17-year old cousin, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after she fell in love with the 'wrong man' and refused to take part in an arranged marriage, the Old Bailey heard.Her brother Azhar Nazir, 30, is also accused of taking part in the horrific killing, but a jury is still deliberating their verdict on him.
The victim, of Pakistani origins had fallen in love with Afghani asylum seeker Salman Mohammed but the family disapproved because he was from a different caste, the court heard earlier.
In January 2005 the woman realised her feeling for Salman was as strong as ever and so decided to "grasp the nettle" and talk to her family about her love for Salman.
However her family continued to reject Salman and on April 23 last year Samaira was brutally stabbed to death in the family home in Abbots Road, Southall after an argument.
When police arrived shortly after 11am they discovered her brother and the cousin soaked in blood and a bloody kitchen knife lying next to Samaira's body in a pool of blood in the hallway of the house.
During the attack she was stabbed 18 times to the neck, chest, arms and legs.
The jury unanimously found the cousin guilty of murder. The smartly dressed teenager hung his head in the dock as the verdict was returned.
The jury is still deliberating on a charge of murder against Nazir.
"Her brother reaction was of anger. It was his opinion that he was only after the family's money."
The court heard that her father then threatened Salman Mohammed with a knife and warned him off saying they would track down the couple and kill them regardless of where they fled to.
On the fatal day two neighbours heard and saw Samaira trying to flee the house before she was dragged back in a and they called police.
Describing the moment police arrived at the house, she said: "Azhar was gesturing down the hallway and said 'she's there, she's dead.' Further down the hallway was the cousin and they noticed his hands and forearms were covered in blood."
Azhar Nazir and the 17-year-old cousin both denied murder. Before sending them out to continue their deliberations, Judge Christopher Moss QC told the jury he would now accept a majority verdict on Nazir.