A FAMILY who left a bride in a vegetative state by force-feeding her pills when she “didn’t live up to their expectations” have been jailed.
Ambreen Fatima Sheikh suffered “irreversible” brain damage when she fainted nine years ago.
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Asgar Sheikh tortured his bride after their arranged marriage Credit: Ben Lack
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Ambreen Fatima Sheikh was forced to take medication and doused with a corrosive substance leaving her in a permanent vegetative stateCredit: PA
Husband Asgar Sheikh, 31, failed to call an ambulance for his wife three days after she was effectively “tortured”.
Ambreen, who was flown to the UK from Pakistan for an arranged marriage, suffered severe burns to her lower back and was force-fed medication.
It is also feared she was doused with chemicals while locked in the family home in Leeds.
Husband Asgar, father-in-law Khalid Sheikh (55) and mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh (52) have now been sentenced to a total of 23 years in prison.
Sister-in-law Shagufa, 29, and brother-in-law Sakalajne, 25, were sentenced to probation.
The family have previous convictions for causing or allowing serious bodily harm to a vulnerable adult.
Sentencing, Judge Lambert said: “It is difficult to imagine a more serious injury, other than death.”
Leeds Crown Court heard how Ambreen arrived in the UK in 2014 as a well-educated “happy” young woman.
But she was the target of her new family because she “didn’t live up to expectations” as a wife.
Although the family declined to testify, prosecutors said they were subjected to a “pattern of violence” behind closed doors.
She was socially isolated, and her sister, who also lived in Britain, received death threats from Asgar when she came to visit.
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On August 1, 2015, Shagufa Sheikh called 911, claiming her sister-in-law “couldn’t breathe properly.”
When paramedics arrived, they found Ambreen lying unconscious on the bed.
She was rushed to the hospital, where tests revealed swelling on her brain and serious burns on her lower back.
Doctors believed it was caused by “some form of caustic substance” about five to seven days before the horror.
This caused an injury to her ear, and marks on Ambreen’s toes suggested there was a period of “prolonged immobility”.
The nurses also noted that she was “malnourished” and “unsightly” in appearance.
Prosecutor Robert Steen Smith said she inadvertently swallowed a diabetes medication that caused hypoglycemia.
I love my wife so much, why would I hurt her?
Husband of Asgar Sheikh
This in turn caused swelling of her brain and loss of consciousness.
Ambreen, who was not diabetic, also became incontinent before passing out and vomiting.
Mr Smith said she was likely cleaned up and placed in her sister-in-law’s room before the ambulance arrived.
Her own dirty clothes and bedding were thrown into a wheelie bin outside the terraced house.
At first, police believed they would be investigating a homicide after Ambreen was placed on life support.
When the machine was turned off, she was able to breathe, but remained in a vegetative state with no change in her condition since then.
The police questioned all five members of the family who lived in the house, but they all closed ranks and refused to reveal what happened.
Husband Asgar just said to them, “I love my wife so much why should I hurt her?”
As well as causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious bodily harm, Shagufa, Shabnam and Asgar were also convicted of perverting the course of justice.
All five were found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Asgar and his parents were each sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison.
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Shagufa’s sister-in-law ended up calling 911 for AmbreenCredit: Ben Lack
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Mother-in-law Shabnam participated in the sadistic abuse Credit: Ben Lack
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Khalid’s father-in-law was also convicted of the horror Credit: Ben Lack
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