Postman jailed for 'terrifying' attack
Debra Weatherall was attacked with a spade, locked in a room, punched and kicked when Mohammed, below, flew into a jealous rage after finding text messages from a man on her phone.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday heard the pair had a five-year relationship which Miss Weatherall ended in February, but remained friends.
Mohammed, however, maintained they were still together.
On May 24, the pair had been to Blackpool for the day, and had called at Mohammed's house in Rushton Road, in Cobridge, as he took her to her parents' home.
They went to Mohammed's bedroom, which was being used as a living room while the house was renovated, where he became aggressive, smashing Miss Weatherall's phone and spitting in her face before hitting her repeatedly.
The 36-year-old then grabbed a pair of scissors and hacked at her hair before leaving the room and locking her inside.
Nicholas Tatlow, prosecuting, said: "The defendant then returned and continued the attack, kicking her in the ribs as she crouched on the floor.
"The defendant left the room again and she screamed for help out of the window, to no avail.
She climbed out of the window and dropped down into the yard, hurting her back, then tried to climb over the fence to escape. But the defendant saw her and pulled her back inside."
In the kitchen, he hit her twice with a spade, causing a deep cut to her arm, then pulled her back upstairs, sealing up her mouth with tape.
He then set a fire in the bedroom, saying they were going to die together.
Mr Tatlow said: "It was only when she told him he was endangering members of his family, who lived next door, that he saw sense, put out the fire and agreed to take her to hospital.
"But even then her ordeal was not over. He drove to Junction 16 of the M6, then left at Junction 15, and stopped in a layby. He talked about killing himself and them dying together."
Eventually, he took Miss Weatherall to hospital where he was arrested. She had suffered a number of injuries and needed stitches in her arm.
Mohammed pleaded guilty to wounding and false imprisonment at an earlier hearing.
Siobhan Collins, defending, said: "The catalyst for this series of events was jealousy and paranoia. It was completely out of his usual character.
"He's disgusted and ashamed with himself. While in custody he has enrolled himself on an anger management course."
The court heard Mohammed had no previous convictions for violence.
Judge Paul Glenn sentenced him to 35 months in prison. The 185 days he has spent on remand will be deducted from his sentence.
Judge Glenn said: "This was a horrid incident. You beat her up and humiliated her.
"It was a prolonged and terrifying ordeal and she believed you were going to seriously injure or kill her."
Comment on this story