Forgiving family left heartbroken after Sheffield man is jailed for life for murdering brother

Thamraze Khan, aged 31, of Club Garden Road, near Sharrow, had denied murdering his 28-year-old brother Kamran Khan but a jury at Sheffield Crown Court found him guilty on July 7 following a trial.

Police were called to a property on Club Garden Road just after 2am, on November 15, 2020, after Kamran Khan was found seriously injuried on a landing outside the defendant’s blood-spattered flat by a neighbour, according to the court.

Sister Shanine Aktar described her brothers as being close to each other. She said Thamraze has apologised and her heartbroken family had forgiven him.

Ms Aktar said: “The case has affected my work, my life and looking after my children. My mum and dad have suffered badly with their health.”

She added: “It hurts me to see my parents grieving. We have never seen them in this state.”

Ms Aktar said: “We believe Kamran would forgive him because he loved him.”

Samuel Green QC said police attended the blood-stained property and performed CPR on Kamran Khan before ambulance paramedics informed them he was dead.

A taxi-driver had previously picked up the brothers at Lowedges Drive, Sheffield, where they had been drinking alcohol, according to Mr Green, and they were dropped off at Club Garden Road before Kamran Khan was found fatally injured.

Police recovered a blood-stained knife from a bedroom doorway, according to Mr Green, and a pathologist established the cause of death was a stab wound to the back of the chest penetrating the spinal column and left lung.

Kamran Khan had also been stabbed through his right armpit, according to Mr Green.

Thamraze Khan claimed he and his brother had been drinking vodka, smoking cannabis and taking pregabalin tablets before his brother started demanding money for more drink and drugs.

He also claimed he had been trying to defend himself when Kamran attacked him with a knife and his brother ended-up suffering a fatal stab wound.

James Hill, defending, said it cannot be ruled out that it was Kamran Khan who had first picked up the knife and although self-defence was ruled out Mr Hill added there was a lack of premeditation on the part of Thmaraze Khan.

He added: “Although the family is desperately sad to have lost Kamran, they are accepting of the apology that Thamraze has offered.”

Judge Jameson told Thamraze Khan: “It’s a terrible fact that he bled and suffocated to death immediately outside your flat while you remained inside the flat making some efforts to disguise what had occurred.”

He sentenced Thamraze Khan to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years to be served before he can be considered for release by the parole board.

The court heard Thamraze Khan had been subject to a previous investigation in 2018 when he had been suspected of stabbing Kamran in the back.

Judge Jameson said he was satisfied Thamraze Khan had stabbed his brother on this occasion too but this case could not be pursued because his brother refused to make a formal complaint.