Man to stand trial in March over Leeds double murder

A MAN, charged with murdering his two housemates in Leeds last week, will be tried in March next year.

Robert Jean, 46, was arrested after Abdullah Mirzada and Khaja Raisoddin Mohammed were found fatally injured at Hill Top Mount, Harehills on Saturday (30).

The defendant appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Friday (6), two days after his appearance in a magistrate’s court. He has been remanded in custody. His trial, scheduled to begin on March 18, is expected to take up to eight days.

Around 11 am on Saturday, West Yorkshire Police officers found Mirzada and Mohammed seriously wounded.

Mirzada died at the scene and Mohammed was pronounced dead in hospital. Enquiries led to Jean’s arrest. Another man, aged 47, who was also arrested over the incident, has been released without any charge.

Mirzada, who came to the UK in 2002 has been described as a “gentle and kind man”.

“He never had any ‘cross’ words with anyone,” his family said in a statement, adding, “If he ever got into a disagreement with another he would walk away.”

Mohammed “liked to pray and go to the mosque.”

Detective chief superintendent Sarah Jones said in a statement reported by the Independent, “Clearly, it is an absolute tragedy for two men to have lost their lives like this in such a sudden and violent way.”