Husband jailed for hammer and fire attacks on wife
Thirukkusan Thuraisingam, aged 30, admitted two charges of assault on his wife Meera.
Yesterday, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court was told that the Sri Lankan pair had entered into an arranged marriage three and a half years ago and that Mrs Thuraisingam had come to England in 2007.
The court heard that Mrs Thuraisingam had given birth to a son in May 2008 but the marriage had been unhappy from the start.
Phillip Beardwell, prosecuting, said: "In September 2008 he was made unemployed. He started drinking and exhausted all the household funds on alcohol and cigarettes.
"On the evening on January 29 he and his wife had a row and he said that he wanted to see how she would run around and die if she was burned.
"He then lit the back of her blouse with a cigarette lighter. She managed to put the flame out and then went upstairs to bed."
The court was told that the defendant later went into the bedroom and took the baby downstairs.
His wife followed him and they had another argument which resulted in him picking up a hammer and hitting her on the arm and hip.
He then punched her on the other arm and hip causing bruising.
The court heard that the police arrived at the house in Derwent Place, Newcastle, after Mrs Thuraisingam called her brother in Norway to tell him what had happened.
Stuart Muldoon, defending, said: "He has shown extremely selfish behaviour throughout his marriage.
"These offences resulted in the end of that marriage and his wife and son have now moved away and he no longer has contact with them.
"He has recognised his problems with drinking and gambling and since staying at the bail hostel has made progress."
The court was told that Thuraisingam, who has been staying at Staitheford House bail hostel, in Lichfield Road, http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/mytownstafford">Stafford, had received a four-month suspended sentence in December last year for driving without a licence and insurance and drink driving.
Judge Paul Glenn said: "It is quite plain you find it hard to behave yourself when you're drunk.
"The victim of these assaults was your wife and mother of your son.
"First you set fire to her blouse. This was a deliberate act and a highly reckless one.
"You were quite literally playing with fire.
"You claim it was a joke but I suspect nobody except you found it funny.
"You then struck your wife with a hammer and punched her as well.
"It must have been a very frightening and upsetting experience for her."
Thuraisingam was given a 20 week sentence for the two assaults and an eight week consecutive sentence for breaching the suspended sentence.
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