A FAMILY who left a bride in a vegetative state by force-feeding her pills when she “failed to meet their expectations” have been jailed.
Ambreen Fatima Sheikh suffered “irretrievable” brain damage when she fell unconscious nine years ago.
Husband Asgar Sheikh, 30, failed to call an ambulance for his wife for three days after she was effectively “tortured”.
Ambreen, who was flown to the UK from Pakistan for an arranged marriage, suffered a severe burn to her lower back and was force-fed medication.
She is also feared to have been doused in chemicals while kept locked away at the family home in Leeds.
Husband Asgar, dad-in-law Khalid Sheikh, 55, mum-in-law Shabnam Sheikh, 53, and dad-in-law Khalid Sheikh have now been jailed for a total of 23 years.
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Sister-in-law Shagufa Sheikh was handed a suspended sentence, along with Shakalayne Sheilkh.
The family were previously convicted of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm.
Leeds Crown Court heard how Ambreen arrived in the UK in 2014 as a well-educated “happy-go-lucky” young woman.
But she was targeted by her new family because she had “not lived up to expectations” as a wife.
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Although the family refused to give evidence, prosecutors said she was subjected to a “pattern of violence” behind closed doors.
She was socially isolated and her sister, who also lived in Britain, was threatened with death by Asgar when she came to visit.
On August 1, 2015, Shagufa Sheikh called for an ambulance claiming her sister-in-law “couldn’t breathe properly”.
When paramedics arrived, they found Ambreen lying unconscious on the bed.
She was rushed to hospital where tests found swelling on her brain and a severe burn to her lower back.
Medics believed this was caused by “some form of caustic substance” around five to seven days before the horror.
This had caused an injury to her ear and marks on Ambreen’s toes suggested there had been a period of “prolonged immobility.”
Nurses also noted she was “malnourished” and “unkempt” in appearance.
Prosecutor Robert Steen Smith said she had involuntarily ingested an anti-diabetic medication that caused hypoglycemia.
I love my wife so much why would I hurt her?
Husband Asgar Sheikh
This in turn caused swelling of her brain and loss of consciousness.
Ambreen, who was not diabetic, had also been left incontinent before she fell unconscious and had been vomiting.
Mr Smith said it was likely she had cleaned up and placed in her sister-in-law’s room before the ambulance arrived.
Her own soiled clothing and bedding had been dumped in a wheelie bin outside the terraced house.
At first, police believed they would be dealing with a murder probe after Ambreen was placed on a life support machine.
When the machine was switched off, she was able to breathe but has remained in a vegetative state with no change in her condition since.
Officers quizzed all five family members who lived in the home but all of them closed ranks and refused to reveal what had happened.
Husband Asgar just told them: “I love my wife so much why would I hurt her?”
As well as causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm, Shagufa, Shabnam and Asgar were also convicted of perverting the course of justice.
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All five were found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Asgar and his parents were all jailed for seven years and nine months.
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Holly Christodoulou
