A man has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years for murdering his pregnant wife by pushing her off a 50-foot cliff at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. Kashif Anwar, 29, killed 31-year-old Fawziyah Javed, who was 17 weeks pregnant, during a holiday in September 2021.
As she lay dying, Ms Javed told a police officer that her husband had pushed her. The jury at the High Court in Edinburgh rejected Anwar's defence that he accidentally fell into her, and found him guilty of murder and causing the death of her unborn child.
During the trial, the court heard that Ms Javed's mother believed her daughter was in a violent, coercive marriage. Yasmin Javed said her daughter had planned to leave Anwar after the Edinburgh trip. Ms Javed, an employment law solicitor from Yorkshire, had confided in her mother about her husband's abusive behaviour.
Anwar, a student optician from Pudsey, near Leeds, told police that the couple had visited shops and restaurants before climbing Arthur's Seat to see the sunset. He claimed he lost his balance and fell into her, causing her to go over the edge. However, witnesses, including a hillwalker and a police officer, testified that Ms Javed said Anwar pushed her after she tried to end the relationship.
Judge Lord Beckett described the crime as 'wicked' and noted that Anwar showed no remorse and made no attempt to save his wife. Det Con Steven Caballero said Anwar asked how many years he would get and said his life was ruined.
