Husband Accused Of Murdering Pregnant Wife In Barton Hill Makes Second Appearance At Crown Court

Members of Bristol’s Somali community packed a court for a case involving an illegal immigrant charged with murdering his pregnant wife.

Abdirashid Khadar entered the UK from Italy in March, Bristol Crown Court has heard.

It is claimed that having come to Barton Hill he met up with 21-year-old Amal Abdi, who he had married in Ethiopia, and stabbed her to death in July. At the time she was 15 to 16 weeks pregnant.

Khadar, of no fixed address, faces an allegation of murder. The 21-year-old, of Somali origin, appeared for a second preliminary hearing from HMP Exeter via video link and was assisted in court by a Somali interpreter.

A total of 36 members of the Somali community packed the 16 seats of the public gallery of Court Nine, as well as the 12 seats of the jury and eight seats provided elsewhere for the 16-minute hearing.

James Haskell, prosecuting, confirmed that, at a first preliminary hearing on August 3, Khadar was unrepresented but a timetable was set for a trial lasting up to ten days from January 11 next year.

The prosecution has until October 12 to serve its case and a plea and case management hearing is set for November 9. Matthew Comer, defending, said the defence needed to instruct a psychiatrist to investigate Khadar’s fitness to plead and whether he is suffering from mental disability.

Bristol Post