Trial date set for man charged with murdering mother as she pushed pram

A provisional trial date has been set for a man accused of murdering a mother who was stabbed to death as she pushed her baby in a pram.

Habibur Masum, 25, is charged with murdering Kulsuma Akter, 27, who was reportedly his wife, in an attack in Bradford city centre on Saturday.

Masum, of Leamington Avenue, Burnley, is also charged with possession of a bladed article.

He appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Friday afternoon via video link from HMP Leeds.

Clean-shaven and dressed in a grey sweatshirt, he spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. He was not asked to enter pleas to either of the charges.

Judge Jonathan Rose remanded Masum into custody and set a provisional trial date of November 18 at the same court, with a time estimate of two weeks.

A plea and trial preparation hearing will take place on May 10.

Masum was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – 170 miles away from where Ms Akter was stabbed.

He had been the subject of police appeals and a four-day manhunt.

A 23-year-old man arrested in the Cheshire area on Monday on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on bail, West Yorkshire Police said.

Four other men were arrested in Aylesbury on suspicion of assisting an offender and drug offences.

The men, aged 23, 26, 28 and 29, from the West Midlands area, are currently in custody, the force added.

Ms Akter was taken to hospital after being stabbed several times in Westgate at the junction with Drewton Road at 3.20pm on Saturday.

She later died from her injuries.

The baby is safe and was not harmed in the incident, police said.