A Doha court yesterday sentenced to death a Qatari man, Badr Hashim Khamis Abdullah al-Jabar, for the murder of 24-year-old British teacher Lauren Patterson on October 12 last year, AFP has reported citing a judicial source.
A second Qatari, Mohamed Abdullah Hassan Abdul Aziz, was given three years in prison for aiding the first accused, in “burning the body of Lauren Patterson and erasing evidence” of the murder, the source said.
In a statement released to the media through the British embassy in Doha, the slain teacher’s mother, Alison Patterson, expressed her gratitude “to the Qatari Government, the police and all those who were involved in this investigation.”
“They have done everything possible to apprehend and try Lauren’s killers, we appreciate this. I would also like to thank the British embassy for all their support in Qatar and at home in the United Kingdom,” she said.
While expressing satisfaction at the death sentence passed on Badr Hashim, Alison described as “inadequate” the three-year jail term handed down to Mohamed Abdullah.
“As Lauren’s mother, I want to say on behalf of my family and friends that with today’s guilty verdict, justice has been served on Badr Hashim Khamis Abdullah al-Jabar for the murder of my daughter Lauren Patterson.
“However, I do not believe that adequate justice has been served on the second accused, Mohamed Abdullah Hassan Abdul Aziz. He was an accomplice to Lauren’s murder and he was aware of what had happened. At no time did he choose to help my daughter or report the murder. In fact he did the contrary; he helped Badr Hashim Khamis Abdullah al-Jabar dispose of Lauren’s body in the most callous and barbaric way.”
She went on to say that “Badr Hashim Khamis Abdullah al-Jabar has not only killed my beautiful daughter, he has also ruined so many lives, including that of his own family who will have to live with the horrendous and despicable crime he committed on a young, kind woman who had her whole life ahead of her.
“Lauren was not only my eldest daughter but she was my closest friend and confidant. After her father died suddenly, she took on the role of helping and guiding her siblings and me, which shows how genuine Lauren was, always putting others before herself. This has been proven by the hundreds of tributes I have received from around the world.
“Nothing will ever bring my daughter back. As a family we will never be able to replace the times we were looking forward to; Lauren getting married, having children, all of those things and more have been taken away from us by these two individuals.
“This will be etched in my memory till the day I die. Nothing will ever make the pain and grief that we have all suffered go away. It is something none of us will forget,” Alison concluded.
The men were arrested after the teacher’s charred remains were found by campers at Al-Kharrara, outside of Doha. Lauren Patterson, who taught at a primary school in Doha, was last seen leaving the night club of a luxury hotel with two men, British media had reported. Her charred remains were found soon afterwards.
According to rights group Death Penalty Worldwide, the last judicial killing in Qatar was in 2003 when a murderer was executed by firing squad.
Lauren Patterson (right) with her mother Alison. PICTURE: Facebook
