Gambler 'tortured Bradford student for his bank details'

AN IRAQI gambler and his accomplice in Bradford tortured the son of a wealthy Hong Kong couple in a ruthless attempt to get his bank details before stabbing him to death, a court heard yesterday.

Reaben Kareem, 20, and his "willing helper" Jwanru Osman are accused of attacking Bradford University student Siu Tung Ho, known as Tony, in his home earlier this year after Kareem tricked his way in.

Opening the case, Paul Greaney, QC, told the jury at Bradford Crown Court "the principal motivation for these crimes was money".

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In January Kareem was in financial difficulties, had a gambling problem and was "desperate for money", he said.

He had taken 920 from his father's bank account and was under huge pressure from his sister to repay it immediately.

Mr Greaney said that it was against this background that Kareem plotted the robbery and recruited Osman.

Kareem, an Iraqi Kurd of no fixed address but who previously lived in Walsall, and Osman, 20, of Northolt, Middlesex, both deny murdering 19-year-old Mr Ho, who was studying chemistry and forensic science.

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Kareem has pleaded guilty to three counts including robbery and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Tony Ho's older sister, Siu Luen Ho, 22, and her 30-year-old boyfriend, Gavin Stolarczyk.

Osman, who is from Kurdistan and who was 19 at the time of the alleged events, has pleaded conspiracy to commit robbery but denies the other charges.

The court heard Kareem had got to know Siu Luen Ho, known as Sally, through his girlfriend Hazan Hamid who had lived at Ms Ho's home in Grantham Road, Little Horton, and who had been her friend before they fell out.

Mr Greaney said that after tricking his way into the house on January 22, Kareem smashed a vodka bottle over Miss Ho's head before ordering Osman to bind her to a chair and gag her.

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Later, Mr Greaney said, Mr Stolarczyk was attacked from behind and stabbed. He said Kareem told him: "All I want is 10,000 and I have a plane ticket back to my country tomorrow morning."

The worst violence was reserved, however, for Mr Ho, the prosecutor told the jury.

"What precisely happened to Tony Ho is known only to the accused men but you can be sure that both accused bear criminal responsibility for his murder...

"Tony Ho was in fact stabbed many times as a result of which he died. The accused men subsequently had possession of Tony Ho's bank access details, details that could only have been obtained from Tony Ho himself.

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Osman later handed himself in and told a police officer: "He (Kareem) planned all this. He based it on the film Hostel. He was so calm. He planned everything. He was just slashing him with the knife so calmly...I can't believe he took somebody's life for 6,000."

The trial continues

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