Thug held Stanley knife to ex after calling her 30 times

Arshaq Ahmed Patel had been a relationship with the woman “on and off” for 12 years and had two children together, but it was marred by domestic violence, Leeds Crown Court heard.

On July 14, Patel called her 30 times over a four-hour period and sent messages prosecutor Sean Smith said were “controlling, threatening and apologetic”.

That afternoon he went to her home and walked through the back gate while she and a friend were in the back garden of the house in Crigglestone, Wakefield.

He pulled out the razor-sharp knife and held it to her chest and demanded to know why she was not answering her phone and wanting to know where “he” was, claiming she was seeing another man.

Her threatened her friend not to call the police, telling he would “come for her and her family” if she did.

He then went through his ex’s phone and knelt on her, putting his hand around her throat.

The 38-year-old, of Frederick Walker Gardens, Batley, was arrested and admitted being at the address but denied any violence or threats.

Held on remand at HMP Hull, Patel appeared in court via video link and admitted a charge of affray.

The court was told he has 22 convictions for 41 offences, including domestic violence.

In mitigation, Richard Canning admitted Patel’s latest offence “crossed the custody threshold” but said there had been a large gap in his violent offending and asked the judge to suspend his sentence.

But Recorder Mark McKone KC reminded him that Patel had breached a court order after he was caught driving without a licence last year.

He jailed him for 18 months, with a five-year restraining order to keep him away from his ex.

He told Patel: “It’s fortunate you were only charged with affray, otherwise the sentence would have been much longer.

"My advice is that you concentrate on your children and what is in their best interests, not for the violence towards their mother.

"You need to learn that if your relationship has ended, she is entitled form another.”