Tyrannical bigamist threatened to kill his wife and children

Addressing 42-year-old Hamza Khan at Bradford Crown Court, Mr Recorder Sam Green KC said he was a “terrible thug” who hit, slapped and bit his wife “like a wild animal”, leaving her “terrified”.

Prosecutor Austin Newman said the couple married in Pakistan in 2006 and later had children, but Khan, from Frizinghall in Bradford, was physically and emotionally abusive towards her throughout the marriage.

Khan had also been unfaithful. When his wife confronted him, he became “angry, abusive and violent” towards her.

And when she tried to leave, he persuaded her to return for the sake of the children.

In February 2023, Hamza “suddenly” left for Pakistan and stayed there for several months. During this time, his wife learned that he had entered into a second marriage with another woman.

In June, he asked his wife in the UK to pay for his return trip to Bradford, but as there was not enough money, she told his parents, who paid for the flight.

On June 8, he visited his wife and told her that he had changed and that “everything would be fine between them.” She was persuaded to let him into the family home.

He then demanded money from her and when she refused, he began searching the house for cash and her gold jewelry.

Khan was imprisoned (Image: West Yorkshire Police)

He threatened to burn down the house if she didn't give him what he wanted.

He then called the other woman and spoke to her while his wife listened. She told him to go outside and called the other woman a “prostitute.”

Khan responded by grabbing her by the hair, dragging her across the room, and punching and slapping her in the face.

As she tried to exit through the door, he grabbed her by the neck and squeezed before pushing her against a table and biting her hand.

She managed to escape and locked herself in the bathroom. The incident ended when Khan's brother came and told him to leave. The police were also called.

In an interview, Khan said he was the victim, although he was unharmed, and denied attacking his wife, claiming he reacted in self-defense.

His victim suffered numerous wounds and bruises, a split lip and a bite mark.

Bradford Crown Court

Khan was released on bail and told not to contact his wife. However, on January 19 this year, he called her three times. When she did not respond, he drove to her house and asked her to drop the charges against him. Some of her children were present at the time.

After following her to a mosque and back home, he pulled up next to her car, hit his head against her windshield and threatened to destroy the house and kill her and her family, causing her to degenerate into “terrified” people.

He then deliberately drove his car towards her while she was locked in the car “to ram it” before braking at the last moment. He then shouted more threats before driving off.

Although Khan was arrested and interrogated the following day, he remained silent.

Olivia Fraser said in mitigation that Khan, who had no previous convictions, had admitted to injuring the victim, expressed regret for his actions and acknowledged that they were wrong.

Arresting Khan, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, where he has been remanded in custody since January, Recorder Green said: “You have no previous convictions or cautions. However, you are a terrible bully.”

“Men who beat women, especially when it is so brutal that it causes physical injury, face prison sentences.

“Men who harass women who report such incidents to the police, for example by threatening to kill them and their children, face prison sentences.”

He said he slapped and punched her, grabbed her throat, “bit her hand like a wild animal” and lied to police about the incident.

His subsequent threats, including to kill her and her family, had “instilled fear and terror in her.” He described it as “significant and severe domestic violence.”

He sentenced Khan to 18 months in prison for assault and a further 18 months in prison for intimidation. The total sentence is 36 months, minus the 232 days he spent in custody.

He also imposed a restraining order prohibiting Khan from having any contact with the victim.