Mustafa Bashir, 34,had repeatedly beat his partner, berated her for wearing westernised clothing, tried to turn her against her own family, and would call her a ‘slag’ when she went out socialising.

However, in sparing the defendant jail, Judge Richard Mansell QC said he didn’t believe Fakhara Karim, 33, was vulnerable as she was ‘an intelligent woman with a network of friends’ and had a college degree.

During the marriage, Bashir struck Ms Karim with a bat because he thought she spent too long talking to a friend on the phone warning ‘If I hit you with this bat with my full power then you would be dead.’

Manchester Crown Court heard how on another occasions, he forced his wife to take tablets and drink bleach and told her to kill herself during a row over him going on a cricket tour to the Netherlands.

Bashir admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm but his lawyer said if he was spared prison he would be able to accept a place at Leicestershire – something the club has since denied.

Handing the defendant an 18 month jail term suspended for two years, Judge Mansell ordered Bashir to attend a workshop entitled ‘building better relationships’, pay £1000 costs and banned him from contacting Miss Karim indefinitely.

Copied: Original News Source: Mirror