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Illegal immigrant who murdered his wife by pouring white spirit over her and setting her on FIRE while they were decorating their bathroom has been jailed for life

Muhammed Hammad carried out brutal killing of Nazia Akhtar at their flat
Ms Akhtar claimed Hammad was controlling and only with her to get a visa
When she told him to leave their home he attacked her with the white spirit
He set himself alight to cover his tracks but was found guilty of her murder

Published: 21:15 GMT, 21 March 2016 | Updated: 22:17 GMT, 21 March 2016

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Muhammed Hammad, 30, was jailed for murder after dousing his wife with petrol and setting her on fire

An illegal immigrant who murdered his wife by dousing her with white spirit and setting her on fire has been jailed for life.

Muhammed Hammad, 30, carried out the brutal killing of Nazia Akhtar, 31, following an argument at their home in Birmingham on April 25 last year.

Hammad was sentenced to life in prison, and will serve a minimum of 25 years, after being found guilty of her murder at Birmingham Crown Court.

The court heard how the attack took place after Ms Akhtar threatened to leave her husband because his 'controlling' ways had become too much to bear.

The couple met in 2013 and married the year after, but Ms Akhtar had soon threatened to divorce.

She claimed Pakistani-born Hammad, who was in the country illegally, had only married her to get a British visa.

On the day of the attack, Ms Akhtar said she had asked her husband to leave their flat, which resulted in him furiously throwing the white spirit and calling her a 'fat ugly cow.'

In order to cover his tracks and make it look like an accident, Muhammad then poured the flammable liquid over himself and set himself on fire.

Both were taken to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital and placed into induced comas but sadly Ms Akhtar died of her injuries on June 12.

The dedicated care worker had suffered 60 per cent burns to her face, ears, neck body, arm and leg.

However, just before her death she awoke from her coma to give detectives the full details of what had happened from her death bed.

The court heard how originally the pair claimed their injuries were a result of an accidental spillage of the white liquid, which caught fire when a cigarette was dropped.

But fire investigators and medical experts began to question that Ms Akhtar's injuries were caused accidentally and while in hospital, she told family and health workers that Hammad had deliberately set fire to her.

Detective Inspector Justin Spanner, from West Midlands Police, said: 'This was an unusual investigation where the victim, Nazia Akhtar, awoke from a coma and was able to give us an account of the circumstances leading to her sustaining her injuries.

'Her account was recorded and played to the jury.

Bubbly: Nazia Akhtar, pictured, was described as a happy and friendly person with 'a lot of love for all'

'They were able to hear it in her own words. She was unaware she would pass away as a result of the deep burn injuries.

'Muhammad Hammad, deliberately set fire to his wife.

'He told Nazia 'that no one would believe her if she told them what happened'.

'He tried to maintain that Nazia had set herself on fire and he was merely trying to put her out.

'Our thoughts go out to Nazia's family who have lost their loved one in such tragic circumstances.

'I hope they are able to find some closure in the sentence that the court has imposed on Muhammad Hammad.'

In a statement Sana Mohammed, Ms Akhtar's sister-in-law, said: 'Nazia was a loving daughter, sister and auntie and did not deserve to suffer in the horrific way she did.

'Her death has had a huge impact on everyone's lives and out thoughts and prayers will always be with her.