Radford dad-of-five initially charged with attempting to murder his wife is jailed for assault

A Nottingham father-of-five who was originally charged with attempting to murder his wife by setting fire to their Radford home has instead been jailed for assaulting her. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Monu Miah “ragged” his partner of 45 years by the hair during an argument at their home before there was a blaze.

However, as the investigation into its cause continued, there was no evidence the 69-year-old had begun the fire at their property. As such, the prosecution accepted his guilty plea to a much lesser charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Handing him a 16-month jail term, Judge James Sampson said: “This is a particularly nasty assault given the petrol which is far from the original charge of attempted murder. The prosecution accepts that the new charge reflects more accurately the overall evidence in the case.

“This was a sustained assault where you punched and hit her causing injury, pulled out some of her and threw petrol about. There was a fire, but the prosecution’s case is that it is uncertain how it started and that has led the prosecution to accept the charge they have.”

Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting said neighbours alerted the emergency services to the fire at the Holden Street address on the morning of January 10, this year. She said the victim was taken to hospital suspected to be suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation and her husband was arrested and interviewed about the matter.

The prosecutor said: “She was later video-interviewed and said the defendant came into the room holding a petrol can screaming about their children. He was waving his arms round and she asked him not to hit her.

“She ran into the bathroom and he followed her and continued to hit her. Grabbed her hair and ragged her, threw her against a wall and hit her.

“In his interview, he said they were arguing and pushing each other and, in his words ‘petrol went everywhere’ and that he was taking it to the car. He said it was diesel and that they had never argued in 45 years of marriage.”

Miah had always denied the original attempted murder charge but pleaded guilty to the ABH charge. Richard Thatcher, mitigating, said his client has been in custody since February 1 meaning he has served the equivalent of an 18-month sentence.

He said this should lead to the defendant’s immediate release. As well as the jail sentence, the judge handed Miah a five-year restraining order.