Yasmeen Ali, aged 44, of no fixed address, is expected to enter guilty pleas to manslaughter and infanticide in connection with the deaths of her three young children at their home in Sea Mills, Bristol, after prosecutors confirmed they will accept the partial defence of diminished responsibility.
Ali was originally charged with three counts of murder following the deaths of her two sons, seven-year-old Fares Bash and nine-month-old Mohammed Bash, and her three-year-old daughter, Joury Bash, on 18 February 2024.
Emergency services were called to the family property in the Sea Mills area of Bristol, where all three children were pronounced dead.
Inquest proceedings heard that post-mortem examinations established each child died from multiple stab wounds inflicted to their chests and necks, while seven-year-old Fares also showed signs of potential asphyxiation.
Ali had been scheduled to stand trial at the Crown Court on three counts of murder.
However, during a case management hearing at Bristol Crown Court, prosecuting barrister Anna Vigars KC informed the judge that two independent psychiatric reports had evaluated Ali’s mental state at the time of the killings.
Both clinical reports concluded that the partial defence of diminished responsibility was available to Ali under criminal law.
The court heard that in relation to nine-month-old Mohammed, the statutory offence of infanticide applies due to the child’s age and the medical assessments presented.
For the deaths of seven-year-old Fares and three-year-old Joury, the Crown confirmed it would accept guilty pleas to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Prosecution barristers confirmed that the development and proposed course of action had been discussed with the children’s father, Alfil Bash, and that the Crown would formally accept the lesser pleas once tendered.
Defence counsel Andrew Langdon KC stated that he would consult with Ali in the coming weeks and indicated that the guilty pleas would be formally entered at the next hearing.
The presiding judge, Mr Justice Linden, adjourned the proceedings to 23 October, when the pleas are scheduled to be entered and the case is expected to conclude.
Ali, who was excused from attending the preliminary hearing, remains detained under medical supervision in a secure psychiatric hospital facility.
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