Chris Tehrani QC successfully prosecutes City banker for murder

January 7, 2019

Chris Tehrani QC from Exchange Chambers has successfully prosecuted a City banker for murder.

Christina Abbotts suffered catastrophic head injuries when she was beaten with a kitchen pestle by Zahid Naseem after a drug and alcohol-fuelled night of sex.

In the brutal and prolonged killing, Zahid Naseem struck Ms Abbotts 13 times on the back of the head.  She was hit around 30 times in total all over her body while housesitting a flat for a friend in Crawley, West Sussex.

When he gave evidence in court, Naseem admitted striking Ms Abbotts but claimed it was in self-defence, saying he lacked the necessary intent and/or had lost his self-control as he feared she was strangling him to death in a sex game gone wrong.

But prosecutor Chris Tehrani QC dismissed his testimony as “nonsense” and a “pack of lies”, telling him he carried on “relentlessly” during the “savage” attack.

He said Naseem stayed in the flat for 12 hours after her death – drinking, taking drugs and sending pornographic pictures and videos to other escorts.

The jury of eight men and four women took about four hours to return the verdict at Lewes Crown Court.

Naseem was jailed for life and ordered to serve 19 years before he can apply for parole.