"This was a sustained and brutal killing"
A man who stabbed his wife 40 times after she asked for a divorce has been jailed for life following what a judge described as a “brutal, deliberate and determined” attack.
Syed Rafay Ahmad killed his wife Anam Rafay at their home in Manchester on January 27, 2026, after she told him she wanted to end their 20-year arranged marriage.
Manchester Crown Court heard Ahmad had subjected Anam to years of controlling and violent behaviour, including taking her wages and physically abusing her during their marriage.
Ahmad pleaded guilty to murder after initially denying the charge during a two-week trial. He has now been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 27 years and two months.
Judge Suzanne Goddard KC said Ahmad had been unable to accept that his wife intended to proceed with the divorce and had carried out a deliberate killing.
She said: “It’s clear to me you could not accept the fact she was going to go through with the divorce; you were jealous she had another man.
“You decided that morning you could not tolerate the situation and you decided to kill her.
“This was a sustained and brutal killing; she undoubtedly suffered pain and anguish.
“This was a brutal, deliberate and determined attack; you wanted to kill her.
“You sought to exaggerate your mental health, and you told lies whilst giving evidence.”
Seeking Divorce after Years of Abuse
The court heard Anam had contacted a mufti, a divorce mediator, in Longsight in June 2025 after falling in love with another man she met through social media.
She began the process of applying for a divorce before serving the application to Ahmad in October 2025.
Ahmad requested mediation, and Anam agreed to give him “one more chance to change”. However, the court heard his behaviour did not improve.
The night before her death, Anam told Ahmad she wanted a divorce.
The following morning, Ahmad attacked her with a large kitchen knife inside their home on Lulworth Gardens.
She was able to escape and run to a neighbour’s house for help, but Ahmad followed her and continued the attack.
A neighbour told the court they saw Ahmad grab Anam’s arm before stabbing her in the neck.
When police attended following reports of a domestic incident, Anam was found unresponsive outside the property with significant knife wounds. She later died at the scene.
A post-mortem examination found she suffered 40 stab wounds, including injuries to both lungs, diaphragm, kidney, liver and spleen. She also had defensive injuries to her upper arms.
Following the attack, Ahmad returned to the family home and sent messages to a family WhatsApp group and Anam’s father stating: “I have killed my wife.”
A False Self-Defence Claim
During his trial, Ahmad denied murder and claimed he had not intended to kill his wife.
He told the court he was suffering from “abnormal mental functioning” at the time and claimed he had acted in self-defence.
In police arrest footage shown during the trial, Ahmad said:
“Self-defence, self-defence, she attacked me.”
Giving evidence, he claimed he “heard a voice which told him his wife was going to smash his head in”.
However, after giving evidence over three days, Ahmad changed his plea and admitted murder.
His barrister, Mark Ford KC, described the killing as an “ugly tragic event” and said it was “largely spontaneous, borne out of fury”.
He added: “I asked the defendant if there was anything he wanted to say. He wishes to express his profound regret. One may well understand why that might be met with scepticism by the court.”
Outside court, Detective Inspector Neil Higginson from Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team said Anam’s death was the result of Ahmad’s violent behaviour.
He said: “Anam’s tragic death was a result of Ahmad’s violent nature.
“This was a horrific and cold-blooded attack, causing irreparable damage to a family, who were left to deal with the consequences of his actions.
“Domestic abuse and violence has devastating and permanent consequences.”
Anam’s family described her as “very innocent” in a victim impact statement and condemned Ahmad’s attempts to deny responsibility.
They said: “Anam was very innocent. He is a cruel man and he would be hanged in Pakistan, where there is the death penalty. He has tried to say he is innocent – he is not.”
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