BREAKING NEWSFamily who left arranged marriage bride in vegetative state by 'dousing her with chemicals' and 'force-feeding her pills' are jailed

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A cruel family who left an arranged marriage bride in a vegetative state by ‘dousing her with chemicals’ and ‘force-feeding her pills’ have been jailed.

Ambreen Fatima Sheikh, 38, was flown to Britain from Pakistan after having an arranged marriage to Asgar Sheikh, now 31, in 2013.

She has not woken up since she fell into unconscious at the Sheikh family home in July 2015 – and, while she can breath unaided, has been left with ‘irretrievable’ brain damage.

It is feared Ambreen was effectively ‘tortured’ at the home by being doused in chemicals and ‘force fed pills’ while locked away.

Previously, neighbours of the Sheikh family said they were not aware she was living in the home for nine months as she was so isolated.  

Ambreen shared the house on Clara Street Huddersfield with husband Asgar Sheikh, 30, father-in-law Khalid Sheikh, 55, mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh, 53, and brother and sister-in-law Sakalayne, 24 and Shafuga Sheikh, 29. 

Husband Asgar Sheikh pictured at Leeds Crown Court

Husband Asgar Sheikh pictured at Leeds Crown Court

Brother-in-law Shakalayne Sheilkh has been handed a sentence of six months suspended for two years

Brother-in-law Shakalayne Sheilkh has been handed a sentence of six months suspended for two years

Mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh has been jailed for seven years and nine months

Mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh has been jailed for seven years and nine months

Sister-in-law Shagufa Sheikh has been handed a sentence of 18 months, suspended for two years

Sister-in-law Shagufa Sheikh has been handed a sentence of 18 months, suspended for two years

Father-in-law Khalid Sheikh has been jailed for seven years and nine months

Father-in-law Khalid Sheikh has been jailed for seven years and nine months

In December, it took a jury at Leeds Crown Court 10 hours and 21 minutes to deliver unanimous guilty verdicts in the case for causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm. Only Sakalyne, was found not guilty.

Shagufa, Shabnam and Asgar Sheikh were also found guilty of doing an act intending to pervert the course of justice. All five defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

On Wednesday, The Honourable Justice Lambert sentenced all five defendants and told the court that Ambreen will ‘eventually die as a consequence of her injury.’ 

READ MORE: Neighbours of family who left arranged marriage bride in vegetative state by ‘dousing her with chemicals’ and ‘force-feeding her pills’ says that victim was so isolated that they had no idea she was even living there 

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The court has previously heard that following an arranged marriage to Asgar in Pakistan, Ambreen joined him and his family in Clara Street in 2014, but less than a year later in the early hours of August 1 she was admitted to hospital.

‘Nine months later, Ambreen was admitted to hospital by ambulance in a profoundly unconscious state having suffered a catastrophic brain injury and she has never regained consciousness,’ the judge said. 

She added that doctors reached the conclusion that she was deeply unconscious and her condition is permanent and she is in a persistent vegetative state and there is no prospect of recovery.

The judge has said Ambreen was given a drug meant for those with diabetes – glimepiride – and her blood-glucose dropped, causing brain injury. 

She said: ‘The evidence during trial showed she had suffered the brain injury up to 72 hours before being admitted to hospital and as she lay unconscious was unable to protect her airway.’

Police were alerted when hospital doctors feared Ambreen’s injuries could be suspicious. Nurses were also concerned she was ‘malnourished’ and ‘unkempt’ in appearance.

Ambreen was initially put on a life support machine and police believed they could soon be dealing with a murder inquiry.

Ambreen's husband  Asgar Sheikh, right, with his brother Sakalyne Sheikh in 2013

Ambreen’s husband  Asgar Sheikh, right, with his brother Sakalyne Sheikh in 2013 

Ambreen's mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh, left, and sister-in-law Shagufa Sheikh

Ambreen’s mother-in-law Shabnam Sheikh, left, and sister-in-law Shagufa Sheikh

Ambreen's father-in-law Khalid Sheikh, 55, and mother-in-law Shabnam

Ambreen’s father-in-law Khalid Sheikh, 55, and mother-in-law Shabnam

Shagufa, Shabnam and Asgar were also found guilty of doing an act intending to pervert the course of justice

Shagufa, Shabnam and Asgar were also found guilty of doing an act intending to pervert the course of justice

A jury heard that Ambreen was left lying unconscious for up to three days before her new family called for an ambulance in July, 2015 - and she has never regained consciousness

A jury heard that Ambreen was left lying unconscious for up to three days before her new family called for an ambulance in July, 2015 – and she has never regained consciousness

When the ventilator was switched off Ambreen was able to breathe but has remained in a vegetative state with no change in her condition since August 2015.

READ MORE: Family who ‘doused bride in chemicals’ and ‘force-fed her pills’ that left her in a vegetative state because she ‘failed to meet their expectations’ after she was flown from Pakistan for arranged marriage are convicted of abuse

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Previously, neighbours of the Sheikh family told the court Ambreen was so isolated they didn’t know she was there.

Diana Roach, their next door neighbour for 35 years, said ‘on occasion’ Khalid’s (Ambreen’s father-in-law) older brother and his children would visit them.

Asked if she ever saw anyone else go there, she said: ‘No, I mean I would see delivery or postmen and what not but visiting, no.’

From time to time Shagufa, ‘the daughter’, would be seen with her mother Shabnam coming home from the shops or helping with work on the house.

Then in August 2015 police broke into the property with a battering ram after Ambreen was admitted to hospital in an unconscious state.

Police spoke to neighbours and news of what was going on behind closed doors came as a shock.

‘I was shocked because I just didn’t realise that there was another person living in the house that we weren’t aware of,’ said Ms Roach.

She said she didn’t know Asgar had got married and his wife had been living at the address since November.

Another neighbour told MailOnline that she believed the men in the Sheikh family worked as builders but knew little about them.

‘They don’t talk to us and they don’t having anything to do with anyone around here really,’ she said.

‘We had no idea this woman was even in the house. When we saw it on the news it was a big shock.’




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