Three members of a Huddersfield family who were released from prison after their convictions were overturned are expected to return to custody after the Supreme Court reinstated the guilty verdicts.
Asgar Sheikh and his parents Khalid and Shabnam Sheikh were jailed in February 2024 after being convicted of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical injury involving Asgar’s wife, Ambreen Sheikh.
The three each received sentences of seven years and nine months.
Asgar’s sister Shagufa Sheikh received a suspended prison sentence.
The Court of Appeal later quashed the convictions relating to the serious physical harm charge and the imprisoned family members were released.
The Crown Prosecution Service challenged that decision and has now succeeded in having the convictions reinstated by the Supreme Court.
Ambreen Left In Persistent Vegetative State
Ambreen had moved from Pakistan to Huddersfield after marrying into the family.
She was described during proceedings as a “bright and ambitious” woman.
The court heard she suffered a severe burn to her lower back and bottom at the family home on Clara Street in Fartown.
Jurors also heard that she had been “tricked or forced” into taking glimepiride, a medication used to treat diabetes.
She subsequently became unconscious and was left in a persistent vegetative state.
Family Jailed In 2024
Following a trial, Asgar, Khalid and Shabnam were convicted of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical injury.
They were each sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison.
Shagufa received a suspended sentence.
The defendants were also convicted of perverting the course of justice over the delay in obtaining medical attention for Ambreen and the concealment of the circumstances in which she became unconscious.
Those convictions were not challenged in the later appeal.
Court Of Appeal Quashed Convictions
In January 2025, the Court of Appeal overturned the convictions relating to causing or allowing serious physical harm.
The appeal centred on whether there was sufficient evidence for the jury to conclude the defendants should have foreseen the harm to Ambreen and taken action to prevent it.
The Court of Appeal found there had not been enough evidence for a jury to reasonably conclude that glimepiride had been administered with malicious intent.
It ruled that defence submissions during the original trial that there was “no case to answer” should have succeeded.
Asgar, Khalid and Shabnam were subsequently released from prison.
CPS Took Case To Supreme Court
The Crown Prosecution Service appealed the Court of Appeal ruling to the Supreme Court.
In a judgment delivered in July, the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeal decision and reinstated the convictions.
The Supreme Court concluded that the original trial judge had not misdirected the jury.
It also found that the judge had been correct to reject the defence submissions that there was no case to answer.
Convictions Reinstated
The effect of the Supreme Court decision is that the original convictions for causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical injury now stand again.
The ruling reverses the decision which led to the family members being released from custody.
It is understood that Asgar, Khalid and Shabnam will now be required to appear before a judge at Leeds Crown Court.
The Supreme Court ruling is expected to be formally noted before the three defendants are returned to prison to serve the remaining portions of their sentences.
Perverting Justice Convictions Were Never Overturned
Separate convictions for perverting the course of justice were not part of the successful Court of Appeal challenge.
Those convictions related to the delay in seeking medical assistance for Ambreen and attempts to conceal the circumstances surrounding her becoming unconscious.
The defendants did not appeal those convictions.
The latest Supreme Court ruling concerns the separate convictions over allowing or causing the serious physical harm suffered by Ambreen.
