Woman in Britain gets life sentence for beating teen sister-in-law to death after years of torture

Ms Shahena Uddin, 19, was subjected to abuse such as licking the toilet seat and eating her own faeces and vomit. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM YOUTUBE

A 32-year-old woman in Britain who beat her teenage sister-in-law to death after subjecting her to years of horrific abuse was on Monday (Dec 21) jailed for life, British media reported.

The victim, 19-year-old Shahena Uddin, was savagely assaulted with fists and weapons - suffering 54 injuries on her body - in her Watford home last October and died after choking on her own vomit.

Salma Begum was convicted of murder and must serve a minimum term of 18 years, while five other family members also received varying prison sentences.

Ms Shahena's eldest brother Suhail Uddin, 35, who is also Salma's husband, was jailed 10 years for causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult.

Three other brothers - Jhuhal, 33, Jewel, 27, and Tohel, 24 - were handed sentences of nine, eight and six-and-a-half years respectively on the same charge. Her 22-year-old sister, Rehena, was jailed for five years.

From left: Siblings Suhail, Jhuhal, Jewel, Tohel and Rehena Uddin, along with Salma Begum. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM YOUTUBE

Ms Shahena, who had been under the guardianship of Suhail and his wife Salma since she was 15, had lived in a terraced house with the other family members on Leavesden Road in the county of Hertfordshire.

The court heard that Ms Shahena was regularly punished for "offences" such as eating too slowly.

Besides being slapped and beaten, she was prevented from using the toilet and drinking water. She was also forced to lick the toilet seat, stare at it for long periods, drink toilet water and eat her own vomit and faeces.

Heartbreaking letters written by Ms Shahena to Salma also revealed how the teenager lived in constant fear of her tormentor.

"Every day I am scared and I can't live like this anymore... I will always love you but I need to go my own way. I will never forget what you have done for me," read one letter.

A next-door neighbour who testified during the trial said she was woken by a loud thudding noise on the night of Ms Shahena's murder.

"It sounded like they were tenderising meat," said Ms Michelle Crawford.

The Hertfodshire County Council said in a statement that there will be a domestic homicide review into the teenager's death next year.

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