AN uncle of Danish Irfan, who murdered his young wife in a jealous rage before fleeing to Pakistan on a false passport, has been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Nouman Qureshi, 32, of Kashmir Park, Halifax, is accused with two other men - Muhammed Qureshi, 38, of Pembroke Avenue, Luton; and Faisal Choudhary, 34, of Grantham Road, Ilford, Essex.

All three will appear in court later this month.

They were charged earlier this week after being arrested at various locations in April.

Danish Irfan, 22, was jailed for a minimum of 16 years, at Bradford Crown Court last month, after he was convicted of murdering his 21-year-old wife Ridda Zanab, at their home in Alford Terrace, Lidget Green, Bradford, last November.

The court heard he struck her at least ten forceful blows with a claw hammer, shattering her skull and leaving her unrecognisable, after discovering she loved another man.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Stuart-Smith, said it was a sustained and brutal attack on a defenceless woman laid in bed.

Irfan had admitted manslaughter, but denied murder, claiming loss of control, but was convicted by the jury.

After the murder he flew from Heathrow Airport to Pakistan with a false passport in the name of Abdul Basit.

The jury was told he had tried to make two phone calls within minutes of the murder. Shortly afterwards he left the marital home in a taxi, having changed his clothes.

Sentencing Irfan - who was said to have been in a "disastrous" marriage - the judge said he had shown remorse and some courage in voluntarily returning to the UK to face the music.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said yesterday: "We have charged three people with perverting the course of justice, in relation to Danish Irfan escaping the country.

"They will be appearing before magistrates later this month."