Sheriff’s snub to fireball murderer
motion from the first respondent [Glara] and the pursuers [The Royal Bank] to allow that to happen.”
But, standing handcuffed in the dock, Yazdanparast (65) demanded he be given a say.
He argued: “I’m a layman, I don’t know how to defend myself.
“I had a letter in 2014 saying my wife’s instruction was to transfer the freehold that we had to my children.
“But is there any will from my wife to follow her instructions after her death? I would like to know.
“After my wife’s death my children were under age, my boy was 10 years old, and I was responsible for him to decide to sell or not to sell.
“My children are living in the property.
“I was made bankrupt for no reason. I am up to here, honest to God.”
He asked Sheriff Christopher Shead: “Could you please provide a solicitor for me in this court?”
Sheriff Shead replied: “No, I cannot do that. The court cannot, by itself, provide you with a solicitor.”
Yazdanparast said: “If I am a layman, how can I defend my rights?”
Sheriff Shead replied: “Well lots of people do, because they have to.”
As Yazdanparast continued to protest, the sheriff added: “Just don’t interrupt again please. The bank is hoping to withdraw its action, if they get paid.
“If the court continues this for 12 weeks, the money is going to be paid and the action will be dismissed. Fine?”
Turning to the security guard, the sheriff said: “Take him away please.”
Yazdanparast continued to demand a say in the proceedings as he was led back to the cells.
The case will return to court on August 7.
A High Court judge previously described Yazdanparast’s crime as “callous and premeditated”.
He was jailed for 19 years and in 2015 he lost an appeal against his conviction after claiming his lawyers were negligent in not telling his trial he was suffering from diminished responsibility, meaning he should have faced a lesser charge.
He was also ordered to pay his three children £450,000 after they sued him for the loss of their mum.
Yazdanparast, who owned a takeaway restaurant above his ex-wife’s salon, acted because she’d had “the temerity” to divorce him and because he feared she was becoming “too Westernised”.