Yasmin Begum killing: 40-year-old man arrested in East London

School staff raised the alarm when a mother of two failed to collect her children

Yasmin Begum was stabbed to death in Bethnal Green, East London, while her children were at school on Thursday. Photo: Metropolitan Police

British police have arrested a man on suspicion of murder after a mother of two was stabbed to death while her children were at school.

School staff raised the alarm on Thursday after Yasmin Begum, 40, failed to collect her children at the end of the day.

Police went to her home in Bethnal Green, East London, and found that Ms Begum had been repeatedly stabbed.

Officers said that a man, aged 40, was arrested on Sunday in nearby Stratford. He remains in custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Laurence Smith, who is leading the investigation, said: “My thoughts are with Yasmin’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. I want to reassure them that we are working around the clock to get them the answers they deserve.

“It is heartbreaking that yet another woman has been killed. All women and girls have the right to feel safe, at any time, day or night, in public or at home, and we will do everything we can to find those responsible for this.”

The issue of violence against women has risen up the political agenda since the murder in March last year of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer. Her killer, Wayne Couzens, 49, has been jailed for life.

The killing led to a series of demonstrations and demands that police and government do more to tackle violence against women.

Police data shows there were 594 homicide victims in England and Wales in the year to March 2021, with just under a third of them women.

The main crime survey for England and Wales estimated that 1.6 million, or about 7 per cent of women aged 16 to 74, had experienced domestic abuse in the year ended March 2020.

It said that 3 per cent of women had experienced attempted or actual sexual assaults and 5 per cent were stalked. The figures remained similar over the last decade, according to the Office for National Statistics.