A ‘controlling’ man strangled his wife after she had asked him to keep his voice down.
Mohammed Saghir, 45, had attacked his wife and put his full body weight on her neck when she asked him to keep his voice down whilst they were getting ready for the day.
She thought she was going to die, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
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Months later, following another police call out, Saghir, of Rochdale, became ‘extremely jealous’ after a mark she had put in the bathtub had disappeared - leading him to think she was having an affair.
He then grabbed her and slapped her to the back of the head.
Saghir pleaded guilty to two offences of assault by beating and was handed a four month prison sentence.
Joe Allman, prosecuting, told the court that Saghir was originally charged with engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour, but after his wife had redacted her statement, there was a discussion between parties and they proceeded just on the assault charges.
He said that Saghir and his wife had been married for 21 years and have four children together, but during October 2020 their relationship deteriorated.
On January 18 last year she had asked him to keep the noise down whilst they were getting ready for the day.
“He approached her and got hold of her by the throat and put all of his weight on her so she couldn’t breathe,” he said,
“She thought she was going to die.”
The incident came to an end when one of their children came into the room and called the police.
His wife later redacted her statement, but on May 29, Saghir became aware that the mark his wife made in the bathtub had gone, and ‘got angry’.
“He would look at the mark in the tub to see that she’d had a bath during the day”, Mr Allman added.
“But when the mark disappeared he got angry and accused her of being unfaithful.”
On May 31, after being picked up by the police and released on bail, he went into the kitchen as she was making dinner and attacked her.
“He went to take the keys to the house but she went outside to stop him, and during that he slapped her to the back of the head,” the prosecutor said.
“In shock, she went back inside and remained inside as the defendant continued shouting.”
He was arrested again and released on bail, but repeatedly messaged his wife which led to him being remanded in custody.
The court heard that his wife has not supported the prosecution and wishes to reconcile with her husband.
Saghir was said to have no relevant previous convictions.
Mitigating on behalf of Saghir, Adam White said that his client had spent ten weeks and five days in custody since his arrest last year.
“That is the equivalent of a 21 week sentence” he added.
Discussing sentencing guidelines, Judge Maurice Greene said: “The max I can impose is six months before credit, so he has effectively serviced his sentence.”
Sentencing Saghir, the judge said: “The reality is you assaulted her twice, and she is obviously prepared to take a risk and have you back.
“It is a risk, you could have done a lot more damage to her.
“You could have been facing many, many years in prison - but you are not.
“It is quite clear you exercise a certain amount of control over your wife, and I am sure that had something to do with the reason why she doesn’t want to proceed.
“The courts' hands are tied, as are the prosecutions’.
“I cannot do any more than what the law allows.
“It really is up to you to control yourself, because it may be that the next time your wife will not retract and your children will not retract and then you, in a sense, will lose them forever. It really is up to you.”
Saghir, of Davyhulme Street, was handed four months imprisonment, but due to the fact he had served half his sentence in custody, he will likely be released today.
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