A former Redfield man believed he was able to beat his wife and did so. But after being convicted under UK law instead of the Sharia law he only respects, he's been sent to prison.
Mohammed Farooq, originally from Afghanistan, denied mistreating his wife who came to Bristol and joined him in an arranged marriage in 2018. Bristol Crown Court heard that, from 2018, Farooq physically assaulted her when she was financially dependant on him and had no English.
Though the abuse was reported to police in January 2020, Mrs Farooq made no statement and the matter was not taken further. But the court heard the beatings started again after the couple tried to reconcile, and the complainant's friend reported Farooq to police.
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Farooq denied wrongdoing. But a jury convicted him of engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour between June 2018 and May 2022, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault.
Farooq declined to attend court for sentence and was not legally represented, after having been given an opportunity to be. The recorder Mr Waddington KC jailed him for three years.
Farooq was handed an indefinite restraining order banning him from contact with named parties. He was also excluded from a specified area of Bristol.
Mr Waddington said initially the abuse was behind closed doors and no-one knew what was going on. Though police became involved in January 2020, Mrs Farooq made no statement and the matter was not taken further.
However, after an attempt at reconciliation the beatings began again, the court heard. On one occasion the complainant became unconscious in a bathroom, and later took photos of injuries.
Mr Waddington said: "He would not let her out alone, threatened her with deportation and had financial control. She sent photos of her bruises to her aunt in Canada and in 2021 she confided with two female friends."
The court heard in May 2022 Farooq assaulted the complainant for the last time, pulling out a clump of her hair. Finding it too much to bear, she messaged her friend and asked her to call police.
When police attended they saw a sign on Farooq's window which said: "This house belongs to an Afghanistan family. No police, no spies, no authorities allowed to enter, we've taken you to court already."
Mr Waddington said: "It is clear that in custody Mr Farooq has contempt for English law and respect only for Sharia law.
"He denied offences. He still says he's able to beat his wife, or worse. When police entered his home he told them that they could not speak to his wife alone and challenged their jurisdiction.
"As soon as the complainant was left alone she told them he had hit her. Farooq was arrested and she fell to her knees, in relief, and started to cry."
The court heard in custody Farooq made it clear his view was women must obey men. He indicated they must not talk without permission of the husband, on pain of the death penalty.
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