Man Sentenced for Slowly Beating Girlfriend to Death...

A man who beat his girlfriend to death over a four-hour period on the night of her birthday because she "dented his pride" has been jailed for life.

Zahir Ahmed, of Selbourne Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, had denied murdering Klara Prokopcova, 26, in November 2007.

Ahmed, 34, attacked Miss Prokopcova in taxis and various locations before dialling 999, but she died in hospital, Luton Crown Court heard.

He was convicted of murder and ordered to serve at least 21 years in prison.
Ahmed, a married doorman with a five-year-old son, was having an affair with Miss Prokopcova, the court heard.

During the trial, he admitted he had beaten her regularly, describing himself as "a scumbag".

“ Your treatment of her was despicable and abhorrent. You are a bully and a coward and treat women with contempt ” Judge John Bevan QC

He denied intending to kill her and said he thought she would recover from injuries he inflicted that night, the court heard.

Miss Prokopcova died on 11 November 2007 after celebrating her birthday at Cubes nightclub in Dunstable.

She left in a taxi with a girlfriend leaving Ahmed behind which angered him and he felt his ego had been dented, the court heard.

He ordered her to return and in the cab, he beat her up and kicked her in the stomach, then took her to a park, where she ended up in a duck pond.

He then took her to a deserted spot under the M1 motorway where he continued to assault her, the court was told.

He eventually dialled 999 but she died in hospital.

The court heard her head and body were covered in bruises and there was extensive hair loss.
A blood clot had formed on the brain, her breast bone and three ribs were fractured, as were both nasal bones.

Some bruises bore the pattern of a shoe and there were also injuries on her arms where she had tried to defend herself.

Judge John Bevan QC said: "You subjected her to a reign of fear over the months before her death.

"She was a tiny girl who did not stand a chance against you, but for some unknown reason she loved you.

"Your treatment of her was despicable and abhorrent. You are a bully and a coward and treat women with contempt."