Nezam Ghalate, a 55-year-old man who pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his wife by stabbing her 11 times in a frenzied attack, died by suicide in prison on June 15 2024, according to a Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) report. Ghalate was found hanged in his cell at HMP Manchester shortly after 5am and was pronounced dead before 6am, despite attempts at CPR.
Background of the Attack
The attack occurred on January 8 2022, when Ghalate woke his wife, Shahla Derakshsan, and began screaming at her before attempting to smother her with a pillow and then stabbing her 11 times. Their 18-year-old daughter intervened by stabbing Ghalate in the head to save her mother. Ghalate, originally from Iran, had lived in the UK since 2000 and had been married to Ms Derakshsan for 25 years. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison at Newcastle Crown Court in 2022.
Prison Life and Mental Health
The PPO report noted that Ghalate had exhibited some risk factors for suicide and self-harm but had settled well after transferring from HMP Durham to Manchester in January 2023. A community mental health nurse reported that Ghalate said he felt 'happy to be alive' and denied suicidal thoughts, though he had previously self-harmed after a visit from an immigration officer discussing deportation to Iran. However, by December 2023, Ghalate reported poor mental health and trouble sleeping. On June 13, he appeared low in mood and was unable to sleep, but a prison GP declined to provide a sick note, believing socialising could help.
PPO Findings
The PPO stated: 'While it was known that Mr Ghalate had some days where he was low, we do not think that there was sufficient evidence that his risk of suicide had substantially increased in the days before his death or that staff should have considered suicide and self-harm monitoring.' However, a clinical reviewer found that mental health care was not of a good standard due to lack of information sharing and multidisciplinary team working.
Victim Impact
In a victim impact statement, Ms Derakshsan said: 'This night I thought I was going to die. Nezam stabbed me so many times to the face, neck, arms and shoulder. He fractured my right arm and left me in such a state of distress and I was hospitalised for over a week. I have scars to my face and my body and I’m embarrassed about them and afraid that someone will ask me about them so I try to hide them. Although my physical injuries have caused me unmeasurable distress, I worry my mental ones are worse.'
Detective Sergeant Simon Wardle commented after the sentencing: 'What has happened to Shala has been an incredible ordeal that no one could ever imagine going through, but she has shown such courage and dignity throughout these proceedings. While this will stay with her, mentally and physically for a long time, I hope today offers some closure which can serve as that first step towards a new life, free from Ghalate and the control and power he exerted over their marriage – and over her.'
