A man with two wives hit one of them with a child’s bat before kicking and punching her after she asked for a divorce.
Asam Raja, 41, attacked Munira Mutara in front of his young daughter who screamed: “Stop it daddy”.
Kirklees magistrates heard Mrs Mutara is Raja’s second wife, and after they had been married six months they began to constantly argue.
The court was told Raja “believes everything should be done his way” and Mrs Mutara was not normally allowed an opinion.
Tariq Bostan, prosecuting, said: “Raja has two wives, and Mrs Mutara is his second wife. She found it very difficult. She asked him for a divorce.
“She says he calls her all sorts of names, swears and shouts at her and calls her a bad mother. There were arguments every day, and violence on a monthly basis”.
In September, she was having a cup of coffee at the dining table in their home in Batley when she told Raja she wanted a divorce.
He picked up a child’s wooden bat and began hitting her on her shoulders and legs. He was laughing and one of the children started laughing too, thinking it was a game.
But Mrs Mutara told him to stop and went into the kitchen. He followed and she asked him how he would feel if she insulted his family the way he did hers.
She curled up as Raja rained down punches and kicks on her, suffering bruising to her arms and thigh.
Raja, of Lower North Street, Batley, denied assault but was convicted at a trial, and appeared before Kirklees Magistrates for sentencing.
Patricia Walker, mitigating, said: “He does have two wives and the complainant was living with him at the time. Since the incident he has left their address and is living with his mother, but continues to support her and the children.”
Raja was given a 12 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months. He was also given a 12 month supervision order with a 10 day rehabilitation requirement, and ordered to pay a criminal court charge of £520, a victim surcharge of £80, and £400 costs.
