When paramedics arrived they found Mrs Mumtaz lying in a pool of oil with blood surrounding her head.
She had suffered multiple injuries to her face, was missing a tooth and had burns on her arms and face where skin had begun to peel.
One paramedic felt heat still radiating from the oil covering the floor.
Birmingham Crown Court heard the couple, who had three children and had been married for 23 years, had been rowing about selling the property in the build up to the 'extremely violent' attack at their home in Small Heath, Birmingham, on January 12 this year.
Mollah, who sobbed in the dock while giving his account, claimed his wife had demanded a divorce and had met another man.
He admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent but denied attempted murder.
He was found guilty of the more serious charge following a trial.
Following the guilty verdict, Investigating officers Rebecca Pugh and George Kawalek said from West Midlands police said in a statement: 'This was a vicious attack, where he clearly tried to kill his wife.
'The victim has been very brave having sustained significant and life-changing injuries and thankfully Mollah will be spending a good amount of time behind bars.'
Mollah's trial heard that during an interview with police he accepted punching and stamping on her while she was on the floor.
But prosecutor Frida Hussain KC said the attack 'went further' than the offence he has pleaded guilty to.
The court heard a 999 call was made at 7.10pm with police and paramedics arriving at 7.22pm to find Mrs Mumtaz on the floor 'screaming'.
After Mrs Mumtaz was placed into an ambulance she said 'my husband tried to kill me' and 'he's a bad man, he threw oil over me', the court heard.
It was said Mollah appeared 'agitated and highly distressed' and when asked what happened he replied in Bengali.
The jury was told when a police officer spoke to Mollah he said it was an accident before mumbling incoherent statements suggesting she had fallen.
Mollah told police in his interview that he had asked his wife to cook him some eggs when 'her behaviour changed and she said words to the effect of divorce me or I'll kill you'.
The defendant claimed the oil spilled when Mrs Mumtaz came at him with a knife.
He told officers he pushed her to the floor, punched her and stamped on her multiple times after she grabbed his crotch.
In her account to police, Mrs Mumtaz said she had been in Bangladesh but returned home to the UK in January earlier than planned because Mollah wanted to divorce her over their ongoing arguments surrounding a property she owned.
It was said Mollah wanted to sell it at a value 'much less than the market value'.
According to Mrs Mumtaz on the day of the attack her husband asked her to cook an omelette so she told him to crack an egg in a bowl, the court heard.
She recalled becoming 'uneasy' after noticing Mollah had 'put a lot of oil' in a pan.
Mrs Mumtaz said her husband then got the oil and said: 'This is the oil I put on for you' before pouring it down her head.
Mrs Mumtaz said her husband then placed the hot steal grids from the cooker hob over her chest and face and when she was on the floor put a mop in her face.
The prosecutor said Mrs Mumtaz managed to get herself up from the floor and then picked up a knife 'to scare him', causing Mollah to leave.
She added Mrs Mumtaz sat there for a while and then fell unconscious before waking up in hospital.
Ms Hussain told the court: 'During all of this she was saying: 'Please forgive me, don't kill me'.
'He said: 'No take more, take more'. Then he hit her more.'
Mrs Mumtaz told police she thought she was going to die.
Giving evidence Mollah he accepted causing really serious harm.
Speaking via a Bengali interpreter he: 'Yes, I did but I never tried to kill her; that was never my intention.
'She is the mother of my three children.'
He sobbed as he repeated he never wanted to kill Mrs Mumtaz, adding: 'I loved her for 24 years.'
Mollah said he was 'out of my mind' as he repeatedly punched and kicked his wife after she grabbed his genitals during the row in which she demanded a divorce.
He told the jury his wife wanted to leave him and 'liked' another man.
Mollah said on the evening of the attack he left the kitchen and went to the living room having asked his wife to cook him two eggs.
He confirmed he returned to her at her request but said: 'Her way of looking at me had changed.
'Her appearance was not the same as it was. She was kind of angry and she picked up a knife and demanded a divorce.
He continued: 'She picked up a knife and said to me 'you have to divorce me right now'.
'I then replied to her 'why you always asking for a divorce I'm hungry. I asked you for some food. Give me some food,' he told the court. 'I'm going to have something to eat and then go out'.'
'She then came towards me with that small knife. She was approaching me. I then stopped her.'
Mollah will be sentenced in November.
No comments:
Post a Comment