Saajidah Mullan fled to India after stabbing
A LEICESTER woman who fled to India after stabbing a mother, her daughter and a friend during a night out in the city earlier this year has been found guilty.
Saajidah Mullan was convicted of three counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following a 10-day trial at Leicester Crown Court.
The 20-year-old, who was arrested by detectives in April this year as she tried to slip back into the country, will be sentenced next month.
Billie Hewerdine, 46, her daughter, Carlie Winkless, 20, and friend Leona Carr, 21, received puncture wounds following the attack on August 28, last year.
The court was told the trio, who had been out in Leicester city centre celebrating a birthday, were involved in an argument with a group of people, including Mullan.
As the skirmish unfolded, Billie Hewerdine, Carlie Winkless and Leona Carr were stabbed.
The three women were rushed to hospital where they underwent emergency surgery.
Mullan denied stabbing the pair in court saying she fled the scene when the fight broke out.
Two days after the attack, Mullan obtained a visa to India and left the country, the court heard.
But she was arrested at Heathrow Airport on April 15 trying to slip back into the country following a tip-off to the police.
The court was read extracts from a diary written by Mullan when she was in India. She wrote: “I’m back in India and we all know why. Apparently it’s baking in Leicester and I cannot go back for a long time. I wish I didn’t do all these stupid things.”
In another entry, she stated: “I can’t believe I ain’t ever going back home.”
She later wrote: “I really think I should just go back and face the music. It’s the only way out of this miserable exile.”
David Herbert, prosecuting, said the reference to “baking” in Leicester was in relation to the “heat” or police interest in her.
Mullan told the court she was unaware she was wanted by police and had flown to India for “spiritual enlightenment” and to “become a better Muslim”.
Following the guilty verdict Detective Inspector Andy Allden, from Leicestershire Constabulary, said Mullan faced a custodial sentence for the attack.
“This was a very nasty assault and could have had much more serious consequences. Instead of facing the consequences of her actions Mullan decided to leave the country,” he said.
“This woman committed a very serious offence and she can expect to serve a number of years in prison. She was carrying a knife on an evening out in Leicester and chose to use it to harm these women.”
