Larbi-Cherif double murder: Killer returned to scene "to pay respects"
A man who killed his girlfriend and her sister in their Birmingham apartment returned to the scene of his crime hours later to "pay his respects", a jury has heard.
Mohammed Ali told Birmingham Crown Court he went back to the flat after stabbing Yasmine Larbi-Cherif and her younger sister Sabrina and said a prayer.
The 29-year-old, of Old Snow Hill, Birmingham, has admitted the manslaughter of both women, but denies their murder on the grounds of provocation.
Ali, who was in an "on-off" relationship with 22-year-old belly dancer Yasmine, told the jury: "I went up to the flat and I did pay my respects."
When asked by prosecutor David Crigman QC if he had a guilty conscience, he replied: "Yes I did. That moment I realised I made a big mistake in my life and I did ask for help."
The court has heard Yasmine made a rape allegation against Ali, which led to him spending five months on remand in Birmingham's Winson Green prison. He was charged with 12 offences but later cleared of the allegations after the prosecution offered no evidence.
Ali has told the jury he "snapped" and stabbed Yasmine when she laughed at him as they discussed his experiences on remand in jail.
He said he then stabbed 19-year-old Sabrina after she hit him over the head as she returned to the flat in Jupiter Apartments, Ryland Street, following a walk.
Mr Crigman QC said scientific evidence showed Sabrina had blood on the soles of her feet, indicating she had walked bare foot in blood before her death.
The prosecution alleges Ali was twice forced to rearm himself after knives broke during the "depraved" killings of the Algerian-born siblings on September 14 last year.
