Burglar who had sex with corpse in funeral home jailed for six years
Kasim Khuram opened ‘multiple coffins’ after breaking into the parlour at night
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A burglar who had sex with a corpse after breaking into a funeral parlour while high on drink and drugs has been jailed for six years.
Kasim Khuram, 23, forced open the door of the Central England Co-operative Funeralcare home, lifted the lids of several coffins and stole jewellery during the raid.
He was still at the scene in Great Barr, Birmingham, when police officers arrived after being alerted by the parlour’s alarm at around 1.40am on 11 November last year.
Khuram sectioned under mental health laws for two weeks before pleading guilty to burglary and sexual penetration of a corpse last month.
Judge Melbourne Inman said the offences “offend all human sensitivity” as he sentenced Khuram at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.
“I am not aware of – and nor have I been able to find – any similar case,” the judge added. “It would be difficult to think of a greater depravation of the dignity of the dead.”
The court heard all nine coffins at the home had been tampered with and an urn containing ashes had also been moved.
He had taken one female victim out of her coffin in the chapel of rest and removed some of her clothing. At least two other bodies were also disturbed.
Prosecutor Robert Price said: “The family have been caused immeasurable hurt. Members of the family involved sought counselling and medication. It was the violation of a beautiful person.”
In a statement, the family said: “The actions of this monster is like a thunderbolt to the heart of our family. We were already dealing with grief. The pain caused by this cannot be expressed.”
Following his arrest, Khuram told officers: “I bet you think i have been shagging them don’t you?” He was later linked to the scene by his DNA profile.
His lawyer Joseph Keating said Khuram had been drinking vodka and taking the synthetic drug mamba and saw the funeral home as “a place to get money”.
A psychiatrist concluded he was suffering from a drug-induced psychosis at the time of the offence.
Baljinder Kaur, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “This is an unusual case and it is difficult to imagine a more distressing violation of a loved one.
“On the strength of the case built by the police and CPS the defendant ultimately pleaded guilty. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased.”
A Central England Co-operative spokesman said: “Our primary concern is for the families we serve and the welfare of our funeral colleagues who have all been deeply affected by this incredibly disturbing and unprecedented event.
“The security measures at Great Barr are such that the alarm alerted the police, who were thankfully able to apprehend the suspect at the scene.”
Khuram, of Kenilworth Road, Aston, Birmingham, had faced a maximum prison sentence of 10 years for burglary and two years for sexual penetration of a corpse.
Following sentencing the judge told him he will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
Detective Chief Inspector John Askew from West Midlands CID said: “This is an horrendous and disturbing act. Our thoughts remain with all those who have been affected by this crime.”
Additional reporting by Press Association