A ‘STRESSED’ father of three disabled children attacked his long-suffering wife twice and left her injured, a court was told.

Mohammed Zubair, 47, who has four children, whipped victim Zareena Bibi repeatedly with an electric power cable, leaving marks on her back seen by their daughter.

Later, he kicked her, causing swelling and bruising, while she was praying on her knees in their lounge.

Burnley Crown Court heard that Zubair, described as ‘controlling’, was said by one of their now grown-up children to be unable to control his temper and to scare her.

One of their sons saw the prayer mat assault and told his father to stop it.

The defendant’s response was to smack him across the face and ask: “What are you going to do about it? You’re disabled.”

The hearing was told the family lived in Every Street, Nelson, in a home which had been adapted for the disabled children through Pendle Coun-cil at a cost of £100,000.

References “speaking very highly” of Zubair and painting a very different picture of him to that outlined to the court were sent in to the court by the Deputy Mayor of Pendle, the leader of the council’s Labour group and two councillors.

The defendant admitted two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm.

The defendant, who had no previous convictions, was given 10 months in jail, susp-ended for two years, with two years supervision.

The judge also imposed a five-year restraining order banning Zubair from contact-ing or communicat-ing with his wife or children except thro-ugh a solicitor, and from approaching Mrs Bibi and their family.

Sentencing, Recorder Dennis Watson told the defendant: “You richly deserve to go to prison.”

But, he continued, there had been no repetition of his behaviour towards his wife since 2008 and she did not suffer lasting physical harm.

Philip Holden, for Zubair, said “mercifully” the relationship between Zubair and his wife had come to an end.

The barrister added: “He is most unlikely to ever come before the courts again, provided the relationship between he and his wife never comes about again.”