Husband pleads guilty to killing man he suspected over affair

Accused has previously been jailed for life for the murder but appeal court ordered retrial

Three-judge Court of Criminal Appeal  found there was a risk of injustice in the manner in which the central question of provocation was explained to the jury by the trial judge in the original trial. Photograph: Collins Courts.
Three-judge Court of Criminal Appeal found there was a risk of injustice in the manner in which the central question of provocation was explained to the jury by the trial judge in the original trial. Photograph: Collins Courts.

A man has pleaded guilty to killing a man he suspected of having an affair with his wife.

Shahzad Hussain (35), Woodland Avenue, Mosney, Co Meath, was previously jailed for life for murdering his wife’s cousin and his own distant relative, Muhammad Arif (32).

He was also sentenced to seven years for seriously injuring his wife, Rashida Bibi Haider (44), and two years for assaulting her on January 6th, 2011, at Mr Arif's apartment in Fitzwilliam Court, Dyer Street, Drogheda, Co Louth. He had denied the charges.

However, in July 2014, the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his murder conviction and ordered a retrial after a three-judge court found there was a risk of injustice in the manner in which the central question of provocation was explained to the jury by the trial judge.

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Yesterday, Shane Costelloe SC, prosecuting, told the Central Criminal Court he had been instructed by the DPP that Hussain could be arraigned on count one.