A chef murdered his estranged wife and two young daughters because she wouldn’t help him with his immigration status, a court heard.

Bangladeshi Mohammed Abdul Shakur, 46, allegedly killed 26-year-old Juli Begum and children Anika and Thanha Khanum, aged five and six, on New Year’s Day 2007.

Days later, he allegedly fled the country only to be extradited from India in April this year to face trial at the Old Bailey.

Jurors were told Shakur had previously threatened his wife, telling her: ‘If you don’t correct my visa and you don’t make me legal to stay in this country then I will kill you and kill your whole family.’

Prosecutor David Spens QC said their unhappy marriage was also ‘beset by arguments about the defendant’s immigration status and his financial contribution towards the family outgoings’.

The court heard how Ms Begum led an ‘insular life’ and in 1999, at the age of 19, travelled from the UK to Bangladesh for an arranged marriage to the defendant, who was her cousin.

In 2000, thanks to her sponsorship for a one-year visa, Shakur came to live with his wife and her mother in Poplar, east London.

But after three years, the couple had become estranged and Ms Begum, the children and her mother moved to East Ham, east London.

The court heard the marriage had not been a happy one.

Mr Spens told jurors Ms Begum feared her husband would leave her and marry someone else if he obtained leave to remain in the country.

The prosecutor added: ‘Juli was unwilling to progress his immigration application, this was a source of friction and they argued.’

Jurors heard Ms Begum told her sister Shakur did not like their children because they were girls and he wanted boys.

Shakur also told her she was not beautiful and he only married her so he could come to London and send money to Bangladesh, it was claimed.

While working in Indian restaurants, Shakur was paid cash in hand and was allowed to live upstairs, jurors were told.

He sent money to his family in Bangladesh, while Ms Begum received child benefits, the court heard.

On 10 January 2007, Ms Begum’s sister became worried and told police she had not seen the family since New Year’s Eve.

Officers went to the home in Nelson Street, East Ham, and found the bodies of Ms Begum and the two children.

Mr Spens said that was the last time the mother and daughters were seen or heard from.

The following day, Shakur allegedly went to the Bangladesh High Commission for an emergency passport and took a one-way flight to Bangladesh on January 5, the court heard.

He gave different reasons for leaving the country, variously saying his father was ill, had died and that his mother was sick, jurors were told.

Shakur, who sat with an interpreter in the dock, denies three counts of murder.

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