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A man who shot dead his heavily pregnant ex-wife with a crossbow in a “brutal and evil attack” has been jailed.

Sana Muhammad, 35, was shot in the abdomen by Ramanodge Unmathallegadoo at her Ilford home on 12 November, 2018.

He hid in the shed in his ex-partner’s garden armed with two crossbows, bolts, a knife, duct tape, cable ties and a hammer, the Old Bailey heard.

Unmathallegadoo, 51, was jailed for life with a minimum of 33 years.

Mrs Muhammad’s son – her sixth child – survived the attack and was delivered by Caesarean section, the court heard.

On the morning of November 12, the defendant, armed with two crossbows, was disturbed by Mrs Muhammad’s husband Imtiaz, who had gone to the shed to store a box.

Unmathallegadoo ran into the house and shot his ex-wife with an 18-inch arrow as she fled upstairs.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC described the killing as “brutal and evil”, saying if it was not for the presence of her children, Unmathallegadoo would have shot Mr Muhammad too.

Jurors heard Unmathallegadoo had been plotting the attack for weeks – buying two crossbows which were discovered near his ex-wife’s home by a neighbour in March 2018.

“You have carefully planned this attack. You had two loaded crossbows and I’m entirely satisfied you intended an attack on Sana and then on Imtiaz,” the judge said.

“One can only assume that you were jealous of their life together and the fact that they had formed a loving bond between themselves and with your children.”

‘My best friend’

Mrs Muhammad’s widower previously paid tribute to his outgoing “soul mate”.

“She was very friendly, talkative and always made me laugh. She was my soul mate, my best friend, my wife, my companion and my everything and I love her dearly.

“Ram must have been very jealous of the life Sana and I had and that we were living a happy life.”

The court heard the victim was 16 when she entered into an arranged marriage with the defendant, then aged 30, in Mauritius.

Their relationship ended in 2012 after an incident where she jumped from an upstairs window and broke her ankle.

Mrs Muhammed filed for an order which banned the defendant from going within 100 metres of her home.

It was still in place at the time of the attack.