A strict Muslim father who murdered his daughter in an 'honour killing' because she brought “shame” on his family by falling in love with the wrong man was jailed for life today.

Mahmod Mahmod was told that he would serve a minimum of 20 years for the murder of Banaz Mahmod. Her uncle, Ari Mahmod, was also jailed for life and told he would serve a minimum of 23 years at the Old Bailey today.

Ms Banaz, 20, had already displeased her family by walking out of an arranged marriage. After she was caught kissing Rahmat Sulemani, an Iranian Kurd, it was decided at a family meeting that they both had to die.

Two months later, Miss Mahmod vanished. None of her family reported her missing.

Only Mr Sulemani went to the police to say that his girlfriend's worst fears had come true.

Three months later, her naked body was found crammed into a suitcase and dumped in a 6ft makeshift grave below a pile of bin bags, a rusting fridge and a discarded television in a back garden in Birmingham. The bootlace that was used to strangle her was still tied around her neck.

A third killer Mohamad Hama, 30, was told that he would spend at least 17 years behind bars.

He, along with three other men who have left the country, killed her after she was raped and tortured for two hours. Miss Banaz was garrotted for five minutes but took half an hour to die as Hama stamped on her neck to “let her soul out”, the court heard.

Miss Banaz had asked police for help four times but was not taken seriously. She even gave officers a list of five people she suspected would harm her and Mr Sulemani.

After being taken to hospital following a previous attempt on her life, Mr Sulemani recorded her fears on his mobile phone.

The film was played in court and helped convict her killers from beyond the grave.

Sentencing the father and uncle, the Common Serjeant of London, Judge Brian Barker, said: “You are both hard and unswerving men for whom apparent respect from the community is more important than the happiness of your own flesh and blood and for whom killing in the name of honour is to be put above understanding and tolerance.”

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