DANA ABDULLAH MURDERS HIS WIFE IN STOKE-ON-TRENT AFTER IMMIGRATION REJECTION

In a tragic and brutal incident that shocked the community of Stoke-on-Trent, Dana Abdullah, an Iranian-born man with a troubling criminal history, was convicted of murdering his estranged wife, Avan Najmadeen, in her home on Glebedale Road, Fenton. The attack occurred on October 1 of the previous year, and the court heard that Abdullah’s actions were driven by personal and immigration-related motives.

According to court reports, Abdullah, who was an illegal immigrant at the time, launched a savage assault on Ms. Najmadeen, a mother of four. Using a kitchen knife, he inflicted a staggering 50 wounds upon her in what was described as a “brutal and sustained attack.” The violence was so severe that forensic evidence confirmed the attack was both deliberate and prolonged. After the assault, Abdullah attempted to conceal his crime by setting fire or causing an explosion in the kitchen, in a bid to cover his tracks. However, his efforts failed, and he fled the scene, first traveling to Liverpool and then to Glasgow by taxi.

In a dramatic turn, Abdullah later surrendered himself to police, but not before revealing that he was a “failed asylum seeker,” hoping that his confession would lead to deportation and thus avoid prosecution for his wife’s murder. His motives appeared to be intertwined with his immigration status, as the court learned that Ms. Najmadeen had refused to support his application to remain in the UK. She had explicitly asked her lawyer not to cooperate with Abdullah’s immigration case, which may have contributed to his violent response.

The court proceedings revealed that Abdullah, who had no fixed address at the time, had previously threatened to kill Ms. Najmadeen, accusing her of “dishonouring” him after her conversion to Christianity. His criminal record includes a conviction for a sexual offence committed in 2013, involving a girl under the age of 13, for which he received a 15-month sentence. Abdullah claimed to have been tortured in Iraq following his deportation, adding to the complex background of his case.

During the sentencing, Judge Michael Chambers QC described the murder as “planned and pre-meditated,” emphasizing the brutality of the attack and its devastating impact on the victim’s four young children, all under the age of eight. The judge stated, “It was motivated by you seeking retribution for her failure to support your immigration appeal against deportation as a failed asylum seeker.” He further noted that Abdullah’s actions demonstrated a clear intent to kill, with forensic evidence confirming the sustained nature of the assault.

In addition to the murder, Abdullah’s attempt to cover his crime by creating a fire or explosion was highlighted as a significant attempt to evade detection. The judge also referenced Abdullah’s previous criminal conduct, underscoring that he was not of good character and had re-entered the UK illegally after being deported. His history of violence and criminality painted a troubling picture of a man driven by personal grievances and a disregard for the law.

Abdullah, who is 35 years old, pleaded guilty to the charge of murder in February. On Thursday, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 18 years and eight months. The court’s decision reflects the severity of his crime and the profound impact it has had on the victim’s family, especially her children and her siblings. A victim impact statement from Ms. Najmadeen’s sister, Hevi, expressed the deep emotional toll of her loss, stating, “When Dana killed my sister Avan, he killed all of us, my mother, my father and her children as well.”

This case underscores the tragic consequences of personal disputes intertwined with immigration issues, and the devastating effects of violence on families and communities in Stoke-on-Trent.