Husband in court over body in suitcase

A customer services worker appeared in court today charged with the murder of his wife whose body was found dumped in a suitcase.

Zaheer Ahmed, 27, of Hurworth Avenue, Langley, Slough, Berkshire, is accused of killing Adeeba Ahmed, a 27-year-old Pakistani national also from Langley.

She was reported missing on Valentine's Day and her body was found two days later in a black Samsonite case on the bank of the Thames at Barnes, south west London.

Ahmed, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and black trousers, spoke only to give his name and address when he appeared in custody at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court in central London.

Ahmed was granted bail on the condition he pays a £50,000 surety, lives at an undisclosed address in the West Midlands, reports to a local police station twice a day and observes a curfew between 10pm and 8am. He must also surrender his passport.

But he was not released immediately as the Crown has until 3.30pm to launch an appeal against bail.

If lawyers do so, he will remain in custody until the application is heard at the Old Bailey in the next two days.

Whether he is eventually granted bail or not he will appear at the Old Bailey on March 15.