A florist found strangled to death in her luxury s
A florist found strangled to death in her luxury sports car was involved in shoplifting and cheque book fraud, the Old Bailey heard today.
(Friday)
Xenya Khan’s body was found by a passer-by on the back seat of her Mercedes convertible in a north London street in January last year.
It is claimed her lover Wasim Khan lured the 36-year-old to a late-night meeting where he throttled her.
Police broke into the locked vehicle to find the victim wearing only a nightie and overcoat.
Khan, 29, denies murdering the divorced mother of four.
The court has heard the pair had been together a year but the relationship was strained because of claims that she was involved in fraud and shoplifting.
Khan allegedly told friends he was concerned she would get him into trouble over her life of crime.
And today Sahxia Sheikh told the jury her aunt admitted stealing from Marks and Spencers to support her family.
She said Xeyna would return to the shop with the stolen goods to exchange them for store vouchers which she would sell on.
The witness also revealed the victim’s 12-year-old son saw his mother leaving to meet Khan just hours before her death.
The lad at first was too scared to tell detectives because ‘he was aware his mother was in trouble with the police,’ said Mrs Sheikh.
The youngster told her he was afraid ‘because a short while before his mother had been arrested over some cheque books.
‘
‘He told me he had gone into his mother’s bedroom and his mother was ready to leave the house and was wearing her nightie and a long coat,’ Mrs Sheikh said
The witness said the boy told her ‘Wasim had phoned and Wasim had asked her to pick him up and she was going to collect him from Southall.
‘
‘He said he checked the phone number of the telephone caller display and it was Wasim’s number.
‘
The victim left her home in Fortnums Acre, Stanmore, in the early hours of January 6 last year.
Her body was discovered by a member of the public later that morning in Redmead Road, Hayes.
A post mortem revealed her death was as a result of asphyxia and compression of the neck.
The injuries also indicated there was some sort of struggle with the assailant before she was strangled.
During the trial it has emerged the couple had booked tickets for a trip to Pakistan.
But Khan allegedly killed her the day before they were due to fly out.
The afternoon before her death, Khan went shopping in Oxford Street and bought a ring.
He allegedly told pals he had no intention of marrying his lover, and planned to stand her up when they got to Pakistan and create problems for her over her Visa.
Khan, of Ranelagh Road, Southall, denies murder on January 6 last year.
The trial continues.
ends
