Footage shows police searching Canning Town flat where bodies of two women were found in freezer

One of the victims' bodies was kept inside the small, padlocked, chest freezer for two and a half years
April Roach @aprilroach283 September 2020
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Bodycam footage shows officers searching an east London flat where they discovered a freezer that a convicted paedophile hid the bodies of two women.

The video shows the cluttered home of Zahid Younis, who was convicted on Thursday for murdering Hungarian national Henriett Szucs, 34, and mother-of-three Mihrican "Jan" Mustafa, 38.

Prosecutor Duncan Penny QC told jurors at his double murder trial both Ms Szucs and Ms Mustafa were “vulnerable women living somewhat chaotic lives”, including periods of homelessness and class A drug addiction.

The court heard Younis bought a freezer for £169.99 in cash from a branch of Curry’s shortly after killing Ms Szucs “for the sole purpose” of concealing her body.

Mr Penny said police had gone to his flat to look for Younis when a uniformed officer found the appliance surrounded with flies in a cupboard before prying it open with a crowbar.

Henriett Szucs (left) and Mihrican "Jan" Mustafa
PA

The bodycam footage, released by Met Police, does not show the moment the bodies were discovered, but one of the officers can be heard saying: "It's the freezer I want to get into but it's locked".

During the four-minute clip, the officers walk through the flat where Younis' belongings are scattered all over the floors.

The two victims had been subjected to “very significant violence” and suffered injuries consistent with kicking or stamping, Mr Penny said.

They had both suffered numerous rib fractures, while Ms Szucs had sustained “dreadful” head injuries and Ms Mustafa’s sternum and larynx had been fractured.

Zahid Younis was convicted for the murder of the two women on Thursday
Metropolitan Police

Younis claimed he was out when Ms Szucs died at his flat and did not tell police because he was “panicking”.

He told jurors he did not kill Ms Mustafa and did not know how she died.

Younis said he paid a man to help him get Ms Szucs’ body into the freezer and that his accomplice later blackmailed him into putting Ms Mustafa’s corpse in the same place.

Younis, known as “Boxer”, admitted putting the women in the freezer and pleaded guilty to two counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body.

He denied two counts of murder but was found guilty of both charges by a jury after 16 hours and six minutes of deliberations on Thursday.

The flat was full of clutter
Metropolitan Police

Younis showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out, while members of Ms Mustafa’s large family, who attended every day of the three-week trial, said “yes” in the public gallery.

Her older sister, Mel Mustafa, said: “Thank you God, thank you.”

Speaking outside court, she told the murderer to “rot in hell”, while cousin Ayse Hussein said: “Finally, you’re away from women and finally women are safe.”

“We got justice today,” she added, paying tribute to her dance teacher cousin who “lit up the room”.

“She will be proud to look at what we have done for her. We’ve been here every single day. She would be looking over us today and she would be really proud and happy.”

The door to a cupboard (right) in the home of Zahid Younis where police found two bodies stored in a freezer
PA

She said of Younis: “He’s mad, he’s an animal. We just didn’t know how sick he was until you sit there and watch him in the dock.”

Ms Szucs’ mother, Maria, who is in Hungary and could not attend court, said in a statement: “Henriett was a beautiful, kind young woman and nobody deserves to be killed in such brutal circumstances.”

Younis refused to leave his cell to be sentenced as the judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, jailed him for life with a minimum term of 38 years and warned he may never be released.

“It will surprise no one in this room that the defendant has declined to attend his sentence, while he sits in the cells below, but I will address these remarks to him so when he has the courage to read them he will understand why the court has reached the conclusion it has,” she said.

Relatives of Mihrican ÒJanÓ Mustafa, (left to right) cousin Ayse Hussein, niece Zeyhal Ozulku, sister Mel Mustafa, Jade (surname not given) and Kazim Salih speaking to the media outside Southwark Crown Court
PA

“You are an arch-deceiver and you spent a lifetime destroying lives.”

The judge said: “You have preyed upon the vulnerable with superficial charm. You have been convicted by the strong prosecution case.

“Not only were the bodies of two women found in your home, hidden in a locked freezer purchased for that purpose, they showed signs of violence which you failed to explain.”

Man found guilty of murdering women and stuffing bodies inside freezer

The judge said Younis had “robbed” his victims of “all happiness in life and dignity in death”, and said: “You have no remorse.”

“You are a heartless man and a narcissist. Your concern throughout has been for yourself.”

Younis married a 14-year-old girl in an Islamic ceremony at a mosque in Walthamstow, east London, in 2004.

He was eventually jailed for two and a half years for assaulting the teenager and unlawful sexual activity with a child and was put on the sex offenders’ register.

Younis was later sentenced to four years and 11 months imprisonment for two counts of wounding and one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an abusive relationship with a 17-year-old girl, which started in 2007 after his release from jail.

Additional reporting by PA Media.