Butcher slit the throat of his love rival with a foot-long knife

A trained butcher who slit the throat of his love rival, leaving him to bleed to death in an alleyway, was today found guilty of his murder.

Saheel Ahmed, 24, left the home of the defendant's estranged wife in Blackburn, Lancashire, in the early hours of June 22 last year.

The victim screamed and fled for his life when Naeem Butt, who had lay in wait for Mr Ahmed, pounced on him.

Slain: Saheel Ahmed, left, died in an alleyway after Naeem Butt, right, pounced on him, slitting his throat and stabbing him six times before going on the run

Butt, 38, severed his victim's jugular vein with a foot-long knife and then stabbed him forcefully six times.

The killer then left the scene in Warrington Street and called a taxi to his address in Johnston Street.

He changed out of his bloodstained clothes but left a pair of jeans behind with blood that matched Mr Ahmed's.

Later the same morning he boarded a train from Manchester to Edinburgh and went on the run for two weeks as he shaved off his beard in a bid to evade the police.

He was arrested after CCTV images of him captured on the rail journey were released by detectives.

Caught on camera: Butt is seen at Haymarket train station and a Total garage in Manchester after killing the man having an affair with his estranged wife

Mr Ahmed, who was married himself, had been having an affair with Butt's wife Shakra Ali.
The jury in Butt's trial at Preston Crown Court was not told that Butt had a previous conviction for assaulting his wife in July 2009.

He pleaded guilty to that offence after telling police he still loved her despite her having a number of affairs.

Butt chose not to give evidence in his defence of the murder allegation as his barrister told the jury there were 'considerable gaps' in evidence in the case.

Butt will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court tomorrow.

Despite trying to avoid police, Butt was caught on CCTV at Manchester Picadillly train station after his sick crime

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter, from Lancashire Constabulary's Force Major Investigation Team, said: 'This was a particularly tragic case in which a young member of the local community was brutally murdered.

'The level of violence used was incomprehensible and Naeem Butt deserves to spend a very long time behind bars.

'The murder was born out of a combination of factors, including rage, jealousy, revenge and also an element of honour.

'Saheel's family have acted with great dignity throughout this very difficult ordeal and have fully supported the police investigation.

'Our thoughts are very much with them and I hope that bringing Butt to justice for this heinous crime will provide them with a small amount of comfort as they continue to come to terms with their loss.

'Finally, I would like to pay special thanks to our colleagues at Lothian and Borders Police for their assistance with the early part of this investigation and their highly professional work.'

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