ABUSIVE HUSBAND SENTENCED FOR ASSAULT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN NEWPORT
An abusive husband repeatedly assaulted his wife and dragged her out of bed and into his grandmother's house where he hit her with a "holy book".He was also financially abusive and took out a credit card in his wife's name without her knowledge.
Sameer Ali, 23, had been married to his victim for three years and they lived together in Newport but for the last six months of their relationship his behaviour deteriorated due to his use of drugs and alcohol.
The defendant became "unpredictable, short-tempered, and aggressive".
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard Ali made an application for a credit card in his wife's name, which was successful, and he spent hundreds of pounds which left her in debt.
He also used her bank account without her knowledge.
Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said the defendant had been arrested on March 4 for assaulting the victim and he was released on bail conditions not to contact her.
But on March 19 he turned up at her home and asked her to make him some food.
She could tell Ali was under the influence of drugs and he was argumentative.
The victim had put a pan on the hob and lit it as the defendant was shouting and verbally abusive towards her.
All of a sudden he pushed her, causing her to stumble and lose her balance.
Her right arm made contact with the pan and suffered a burn.
She began to cry because of the pain but Ali continued to abuse her and the burn left a mark.
On March 20, the victim was in bed but was woken by Ali who told her to get up and come to his grandparents' house.
He again appeared to be under the influence of drugs and took hold of his wife's arm to pull her out of bed.
The defendant pushed her and dragged her out of his bedroom as she tried to grab onto the door handle but he was too strong.
Ali pulled the victim out of the house and took her to his grandparents' nearby house where he accused her of sleeping with another man.
He then called her father in Pakistan and directed verbal abuse towards her.
Ali then hit and slapped his wife in the face several times with full force, causing pain and fear.
The defendant also hit her with a remote control and used a holy book to strike her before ripping up the text.
The police were called by Ali's mother and he left the house.
He was later arrested and interviewed but he denied the offences and claimed it was an attempt by his wife's family to "remove him".
Ali later pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of assault by beating, criminal damage, and fraud by false representation.
The court heard he has seven previous convictions for offences including driving offences, criminal damage, and drug offences.
In mitigation, his lawyer stated that the defendant has no previous convictions for violent or domestic offences and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, with issues related to substance misuse.
Sentencing, Recorder Angharad Price described the offence as "appalling" and noted the profound effects of domestic violence including depression, psychological issues, and feelings of hopelessness for the victim.
Ali was sentenced to 26 weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months, with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement, a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement, and a two-year restraining order.
