A cab driver lashed his wife with a belt and asked ‘are you abiding by my rule?’ The victim recorded Sorif Uddin attacking her following a dispute over laundry duties.
During a separate incident, she also managed to film her shirtless husband throttling her for several seconds.
Uddin had routinely subjected her to verbal abuse throughout their brief Islamic marriage, branding her a ‘mistake’ and a ‘street girl’ who wasn’t worthy of him, reports Birmingham Live.
The 28-year-old, from Gerrard Street, Lozells, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and strangulation. He avoided prison at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday, July 29, receiving a two-year sentence suspended for three years.
Uddin was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and undertake a skills for relationships toolkit.
A restraining order prohibits him from contacting the victim for seven years.
The pair connected through Instagram in 2019, though the victim, who was residing in Bangladesh, had initially married another man after her father arranged it.
That marriage collapsed within months in 2022. She subsequently rekindled her relationship with Uddin, and the couple had an Islamic ceremony in August 2023.
Madhu Rai, prosecuting, said: “Soon after the wedding, Mr Uddin started being verbally abusive towards her and months later physically assaulted her on two separate occasions.”
The first incident occurred in January 2024 when they quarrelled after Uddin told his wife she had to wash her clothes in the bath because her family hadn’t bought them a washing machine.
Ms Rai stated: “During the incident he suddenly took a belt out of his trousers lying nearby and with some force started to whip her with the belt while also verbally abusing her.
The victim sustained defensive injuries to her hands from the assault, some of which was recorded on her phone and played in court.
Uddin’s words to his wife were translated as: “Are you abiding by my rule? Hey daughter of animal are you abiding by my rule?”
The victim briefly stayed with relatives but upon returning to her husband, he resumed verbally abusing her the same day.
“He told her she had no shame, no-one wanted her,” said Ms Rai who added: “Throughout their marriage he frequently shouted at her saying he married a street girl and she was not good enough for him.”
In a second episode of violence later in 2024, Uddin referred to his wife as ‘his mistake’.
Ms Rai informed the court: “Footage captures the defendant going towards her and then suddenly grabbing her throat very tightly.
“She describes the defendant’s grip as being very strong. She was struggling to breathe. She told him to let go and he did.”
It was estimated the chokehold lasted for at least ten seconds.
On 13 October that year, the victim managed to dial 999, pleading ‘help me’ and confirming her postcode.
Police arrived at their home in Lozells and when no-one answered the door, they forced entry after hearing screams.
The victim was ‘hysterical and hyperventilating’, the prosecutor said. She was taken to a bedroom where she claimed Uddin had assaulted her.
He denied the allegations in an interview and even claimed his wife had a short temper and was fabricating complaints for ‘legal status in the UK’.
In a statement, the victim said the abuse had left her feeling suicidal, depressed and anxious.
She described suffering from sleepless nights and heart palpitations as she relived the violence. Uddin had never previously committed a crime.
Bethany Baggaley, defending, said he felt ashamed and remorseful.
She said he had since lost his job as a taxi driver due to being unable to pass a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.
The barrister added Uddin was ‘right at the core’ of his family, helping to support his mother and sisters, while dealing with his own health issues.
Judge Stacy Newnham-Payne, passing sentence, told him: “It’s clear the marriage was fraught with difficulties.
“Your offending behaviour was incredibly serious. You would have caused exceptional distress and likely long-lasting consequences.
“I have watched the footage. That was hard watching.”
But she determined that custody would not tackle Uddin’s fundamental problems, ruling he could be reformed in the community rather than behind bars.