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Prosecutors are struggling to find the jurors for a high-profile case of two sisters accused of murdering their dad with a hammer after claiming he raped them.

Kristina Khachaturian, 19, and her sisters Angelina, 18, and Maria, 17, are suspected of stabbing their father to death and beating him with a hammer after he allegedly raped them for years.

The trial is set to go ahead against the two older sisters because Maria was under 18 and is being dealt with separately over the killing of Mikhail, 57, in their apartment in the Russian capital Moscow.

But jurors need to be unaware of the details of the case so they are not prejudiced when considering it.

This particular case has caused widespread public outrage about Russia's attitude to domestic violence, with many saying the sisters should not have been put on trial and should have been given counselling instead.

The defence team said they acted in self-defence and had no other choice to escape the alleged violence and sexual abuse.

The dad was sitting in an armchair and watching TV when the sisters attacked him simultaneously, it is reported.

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The three daughters were arrested with younger sisters Kristina and Maria being taken into custody while elder sister Angelina, who was stabbed by her father in her arm during the attack, was taken to hospital.

A police spokesperson said: "All three suspects confessed to the crime."

According to local media, Khachaturian demanded that the sisters spend their days cleaning their apartment, preparing food and attending his needs every time he rang a bell.

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Reports said he was often displeased with how they did the housework and punished them by raping them.

To keep them in fear, he reportedly shot at them with his handgun from time to time. The bullets stuck in the walls of the apartment were found by the police.

Prosecutors accepted the unlawful acts of the father were the motive for the crime, but are nevertheless pressing ahead with the case.

Khachaturian is said to have started torturing his daughters after divorcing his wife several years ago, according to reports.

• Crime
• Russia

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