A MAN accused of killing his mother-in-law and cutting up her body was motivated by greed, a court has heard.

Summing up at the trial of Muhammed Arshad, 37, at Preston Crown Court, the prosecutor, David Turner, said the defendant had killed Zainab Begum in cold blood in a bedroom at her home in Burnley Road, Accrington.

Mr Turner also told the court that Arshad's brother Mohammed Sharif Khan, 39, had known about the murder and had helped to dispose of her body.

He said: "We submit that this was a murder with intent. It was premeditated and pre-planned.

"What happened in that room was so horrific that her body needed to be obliterated and in her own bath she was dismembered, then driven to a takeaway. Whatever happened there, it took until 8am the following morning until the takeaway was clean."

The court heard that her body was then taken to the brothers' home in Crumpsall, Manchester and it was not known what happened to it after that because it had never been found.

Mr Turner said: "Arshad was the murderer and his brother was as closely involved as anyone could be in the disposal of her cruelly dismembered body."

He told the court that Arshad had bought the tool that he later used to cut up Mrs Begum's body just days before her death and then "faked" an illness that meant he would be off work from his job at Holland's Pies in Baxenden for at least 48 hours.

The prosecution also claim that Arshad and Khan lied in police interviews and in court, both changed their stories several times up to the day their trial was due to start.

Mr Turner said Arshad's claim that Mrs Begum had made sexual advances towards him was also a lie.

He said: "Not only has he robbed her of her life, robbed her children of her body, but to protect himself he has had no compunction in trying to rob her of her reputation by making allegations that we will submit the jury will find to be utterly ridiculous."

Mr Turner said Arshad and Khan had both been motivated by greed.

He said: "With Zainab Begum out of the way the balance of power would change."

(Proceeding)