Sara Al Shourefi: The devastating case of a beloved mum murdered at her Sheffield home a decade ago

Sara Al Shourefi came to the UK in search of a better life, and in time, set up a home in Sheffield with her husband and four children.

That dream came to a devastating end for 28-year-old Mrs Al Shourefi, when her husband, Thahi Manaa, subjected her to a 'ferocious,' and deadly, attack 10 years ago.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Manaa blasted out the Koran to drown out Mrs Al Shourefi’s screams, as he inflicted 270 injuries on her at their Sheffield home in The Oval, Firth Park. During the course of Manaa's 2015 Sheffield Crown Court trial, jurors were told how he used an assortment of weapons - including screwdrivers, metal bars, a drill and a wooden shelf - to inflict the horrific injuries during the attack.

Mrs Al Shourefi’s battered body was found stuffed in a cupboard with a screwdriver protruding from her eye socket.

Police found several blood-stained implements by Ms Al Shourefi’s body, including screwdrivers, an electric drill, two metal bars, a wooden shelf and a knife. Neighbours overheard the attack taking place at the couple’s home in The Oval, Firth Park, on March 4, 2014. Nicholas Campbell KC, prosecuting, said they heard the Koran being played at full blast, angry shouting coming from the property and the sound of someone being beaten’ and tortured’.

Mr Campbell said the fatal attack was the culmination of years of domestic abuse against Mrs Al Shourefi, who was described as a 'kind, gentle and caring young woman'.

The jury heard Manaa, who had four wives, was suffering from depression and a significant psychotic illness, probably paranoid schizophrenia before, during and after the murder.

He had morbid jealousy and believed all of his wives were cheating on him.

The court heard the couple, who had four children aged eight, six, four and two, were 'stateless' refugees who left Kuwait for the UK in 2010.

Manaa admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but jurors rejected his claims his actions were 'substantially impaired' by his illness.

He was subsequently convicted of murder in February 2015, aged 37.

After the guilty verdict was returned, Mr Campbell read a message to Manaa from Sara’s sister Narjis Farhoud to the court.

She said: "She was an obedient wife who you treated as a slave. Had you no mercy for all the good things she did for you and your children?

"You tortured her from the moment you married her - was this not enough for you? Why did you have to kill her? You have deprived her of her children before she had a chance to see them grow up. You are cruel and evil - may God punish you."

Jailing Manaa for life - to serve a minimum term of 23 years - Mrs Justice Laura Cox said Mrs Al Shourefi had been subjected to extreme and sustained violence in a ferocious and chilling attack of unimaginable barbarity. She told Manaa: "The pain, terror, anguish and desperation she would have suffered as you inflicted these appalling injuries upon her and ended her life is truly horrifying to contemplate."

After the hearing, Detective Inspector Kevin Brown said the injuries inflicted on Mrs Al Shourefi were some of the worst he had seen in his 30-year career.

He urged anyone suffering from domestic violence to contact the police.

He added: "It is a crime that should not just be accepted as the norm and the victims should not have to suffer in silence."