The mother of a Midlands TikTok personality who was imprisoned with her daughter for murder will not receive a reduction in her sentence, Court of Appeal judges have determined.
Background of the Case
Ansreen Bukhari, 49, and her daughter Mahek Bukhari participated in a high-speed vehicle pursuit which resulted in the deaths of Saqib Hussain and his friend Mohammed Hashim. Ansreen was travelling in the vehicle with Mahek as they and others raced after Mr Hussain and Mr Hashim Ijazuddin on the A46, in Leicester, in February 2022. The incident concluded in the fatal crash, while the Bukharis were both found guilty of murder.
Sentencing Details
Mahek, who was 22 years old at the time, received a life sentence, with a minimum term of 31 years and eight months in September 2023. This was lowered to a minimum term of 26 years and 285 days at the Court of Appeal last year. Ansreen received a life sentence, with a minimum term of 26 years and nine months.
Appeal Rejected
Her legal representatives argued on Friday (July 3) that her sentence was 'manifestly excessive' - but this was rejected by three judges. Lord Justice Jeremy Baker, sitting with Mr Justice Bryan and Judge Simon Hirst, stated: "The appellant had many opportunities to prevent escalation of events leading to the deaths of the deceased."
Defense Arguments
Christopher Millington KC, representing Ansreen, argued that she had been the victim of blackmail, which had not been considered during the sentencing. He outlined how she had embarked on an affair with Mr Hussain and he had demanded £3,000 for what he claimed he had spent on her during that period. He told the court: "Having determined that she wanted to end the relationship, telling the deceased that she wanted to end it on good terms, the answer to that was plainly no. Thereafter, and over a period of many, many weeks leading up to these offences, there was what we would categorise as a relentless campaign of blackmail and coercive behaviour from Saqib Hussain towards Ansreen Bukhari."
He stated that Mr Hussain maintained the 'relentless and abusive messages', which 'ramped up' on the day of the chase. The barrister continued: "This was the day when he would carry out his threat to travel to the family home in Stoke and confront her and the family and, at the very least, show to her husband and members of the family the sexually compromising material he possessed and face the consequences of that." Bukhari subsequently 'got sucked into' a plan that resulted in 'calamitous consequences', while she was 'not regarded as being one of the prime movers in this by the trial judge'.
Prosecution Response
Prosecutor Daren Samat argued that while Bukhari may not have been a 'prime mover', 'she was an essential part of it'. He stated: "She was part of the plan to lure the deceased to Leicester in the first place. Mr Hussain was told 'that if he wanted his money that he had to come to collect it from a boy in Leicester'. So without that, he would not be in Leicester."
Court Decision
Dismissing the appeal, Lord Justice Jeremy Baker stated: "We note that the appellant was indeed a central figure and the reason for these offences having taken place, and we are quite satisfied that the minimum term did properly take into account all the matters that have been advanced by Mr Millington."
Other Convictions
Two additional individuals were also convicted of the murders alongside the Bukharis, while a further three were found guilty of two counts of manslaughter.
