Obsessed builder Mujahid Arshid, 33, was ‘inspired’ by an infamous acid bath killer as he plotted to abduct, rape and murder his niece and another young woman, a court has heard
An obsessed builder who cut a woman’s throat and stuffed her into a freezer was ‘inspired’ by an infamous acid bath killer who used the grisly method to dispose of his victims in the 1940’s.
Mujahid Arshid, 33, plotted to abduct, rape and murder his niece and another young woman when he allegedly came across convicted serial killer John George Haigh, jurors were told.
In July last year, he snatched Celine Dookhran and another young woman, bundling them into his pick-up truck with the help of labourer Vincent Tappu, the Old Bailey heard.
Barclays bank worker Ms Dookhran, 20, was found stuffed into a freezer with her throat cut at a house Arshid was renovating in south-west London after the other woman managed to raise the alarm.
Following his arrest at a Holiday Inn in Folkestone, police examined Arshid’s laptops and found pictures of both victims and a bank payment to Tappu in the days before the killing.
Internet searches included ‘chest freezers for sale’, ‘at what temperature does the human body freeze’ and ‘can a person freeze to death’.
Arshid also allegedly researched strong pain killers, sulphuric acid, and googled ‘acid bath murderer’.
Prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told jurors it led to a Wikipedia page about John George Haigh, who was hanged in 1949 for murdering six people and disposing of their remains in different ways, including in baths filled with acid.
He said Haigh was known in ‘infamy’ as the acid bath killer.
In July last year, he snatched Celine Dookhran (left) and another young woman with the help of labourer Vincent Tappu (right). Barclays bank worker Ms Dookhran, 20, was found stuffed into a freezer with her throat cut at a house Arshid was renovating
Following his arrest at a Holiday Inn in Folkestone, police examined Arshid’s laptops and found pictures of both victims. Internet searches included ‘chest freezers for sale’, ‘at what temperature does the human body freeze’ and ‘can a person freeze to death’.
John George Haigh
The English serial killer was convicted for the murder of six people, although he claimed to have killed nine.
He battered or shot his victims to death and used concentrated sulphuric acid to destroy their corpses before forging papers so he could sell the victims’ possession.
During the investigation, it became apparent that Haigh was using the acid to destroy victims’ bodies because he misunderstood the meaning of the term corpus delicti – mistakenly believing that if the bodies could not be found, a murder conviction would not be possible.
He said the defendant was ‘inspired’ by Haigh to set up a new Google email address ineedanacidbath@space.com.
He looked into ‘human cremation’ and ‘butchering the human carcass’, jurors were told.
He also allegedly viewed a YouTube video entitled ‘Woman cut throat’.
A post-mortem examination found 5ft 3in tall Ms Dookhran had tape wrapped around her mouth and a sock rammed inside, reducing her ability to breathe.
She had three cuts to the neck, slicing through her voice box, one measuring 13cm.
She died from the combined effect of loss of blood and obstruction to the airways.
Arshid, of no fixed address, and Tappu, 28, of Acton, west London, deny kidnap, false imprisonment and possession of a firearm with intent.
Arshid has also pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder, rape of both women.
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