Dad Ahmad Alsino jailed for life for killing daughter’s father-in-law in wedding gift row in Birmingham

A knifeman who stabbed his daughter’s father-in-law to death following a row over wedding gifts has today (Thursday, November 3) been jailed for life.

Ahmad Alsino, 43, confronted dentist Mohammed Salem Ibrahim, 55, on his own doorstep in Birmingham before launching the frenzied attack with a Gino D’Acampo kitchen knife.

After stabbing the victim four times he also slashed his daughter’s husband following an argument over gold jewellery given to the couple as wedding gifts.

Emergency services rushed to the scene on Cadbury Drive, in Castle Vale, but dad-of-five Mr Ibrahim could not be saved. His son Aram Ibrahim, who suffered serious knife injuries in the attack on March 13, later recovered following hospital treatment.

Alsino, from Northfield, was previously found guilty of murder, attempted murder and possession of a knife following a three week trial at Birmingham Crown Court. Today (Thursday, November 2) he was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 26 years after being sentenced at the same court.

What happened before the fatal knife attack on Mohammed Salem Ibrahim?

The court was told Alsino had driven his pregnant daughter Lylan to the property where a bitter row broke out with her partner. Alsino had tried to kick the door down and when Mr Ibrahim came outside he was stabbed four times, with three wounds penetrating his chest.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Drew KC said "You took your pregnant daughter to Cadbury Drive to collect some of her belongings from the house where she was living with her husband Aram and the Ibrahim family.

"When Lylan was in the house you waited by the car, angry and upset, but not seeking a confrontation. When Mohammed Ibrahim came out of the house he invited you in. That served to inflame matters, your anger increased and you refused his invitation.

"When Lylan subsequently phoned, claiming that she was being assaulted, you believed her and as a result you lost your temper and armed yourself with a knife.

"You went to the door to force your way in in order to get her out but you failed to open it. When the door was opened you saw Lylan, Mr Ibrahim and Aram in the front hallway. You then launched an unprovoked attack upon Mr Ibrahim and Aram, at first with fists and then using the knife on both of them in a violent frenzy, stabbing each a number of times.

"I am satisfied that you must have intended to kill Mohammed when you were stabbing him. You knew that you had seriously injured two men but you offered them no assistance and left the scene failing to contact emergency services.

"I have listened to the victim’s personal statements in this case with care. The whole Ibrahim family, who came to this country to find sanctuary, have been severely affected by your actions on that day."

‘He was highly regarded as a dentist from the Kurdish community’

In a statement the victim’s daughter said her father, who had fled from Syria, had been the victim of a "barbaric and brutal" attack.

She said "He was a highly regarded dentist from the Kurdish community. He was a pillar of the community. He was not only known for his profession but also for his generosity, kindness and wisdom to anybody who crossed his path."

The court heard Alsino was arrested after officers were alerted to the stabbing and a police helicopter followed him back to his home in Northfield. When their car was searched officers recovered a bag from the footwell containing two Gino D’Acampo knives, one clean, the other covered in blood.

‘A tragedy for both families’

Jason Bartfeld KC, defending, said it had been a tragedy for both families. He added: "On March 13 he sacrificed himself to protect his family. As a result of 33 seconds of madness he has lost a family who were heavily dependent on him."

Detective Inspector Damian Forrest, from West Midlands Police’s Homicide team, said: "It is truly shocking that a dispute involving family members could result in such a loss of life. Ahmad Alsino attended the address and had with him knives, one of which was wielded in anger, resulting in fatal injuries for which he was rightly brought to justice."