Man strangled wife, made her life hell and said he'd kill her if she left him

A man used his legs to strangle his wife until she became unconscious and would regularly hold sharp knives to her throat. The victim described thinking it would be her "last day" while being strangled.

Amit Sinha, 35, was abusive to his wife during their marriage after they moved to Wales in 2023. They met through an Indian marital website and their marriage was described as "good" to begin with.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard the defendant had issues with alcohol and would drink to excess every two to three days. When intoxicated he would become angry and volatile. F or the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter here.

During May and October last year Sinha would wake up his wife during the night and early hours of the morning at their home in Tredegar and would demand she make him food. If she didn't he would scream at the top of his voice. Despite this the victim would often have to feed him due to his level of intoxication.

On frequent occasions the defendant would threaten the victim with knives, pens, pencils, screwdrivers and other sharp objects. On a specific occasion he pushed her into a kitchen cupboard and held a blunt knife to her neck, motioning with it. Sinha also used a stainless steel knife to hold to her neck and used it to make marks on the door. Prosecutor Leah Pollard said the victim felt such fear she hid all the sharp objects in the house so he would be unable to find them.

When the victim told the defendant she wanted to separate and end the marriage he said he would "not let that happen" and threatened to harm her if she left, saying he would kill her, harm himself and burn the house down. He would often check the victim's phone and snatch it from her when drunk.

Around a month before his arrest, Sinha was in bed with the victim when he spat tobacco on the bed sheet. The victim challenged him on this and asked him who would clean it up. She said she was going to sleep in another bedroom but the defendant grabbed her by her hair and bra strap and pushed her back on the bed.

He placed his legs around the victim so she was unable to release herself, put his right arm around her neck and used his left hand to cover up her nose and mouth. The victim later told police: "It was so tight I fell unconscious, I couldn't breathe." Ms Pollard said: "She thought it was her last day and it took 10 to 15 minutes to become stable afterwards."

The victim again attempted to go and sleep in the spare room but Sinha grabbed her and made her sleep in their bed. When he woke up the next day, the defendant denied anything had happened. The victim later told police she believed "Anything could happen" when it came to him.

Sinha, of St George's Court, Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent was arrested on October 20 last year after a man saw the victim in the street trying to get away from the defendant, who was gesturing towards her and telling her to come home. The man asked the victim if she needed help and she said "Yes." The man called 999 despite Sinha begging him not to. The police arrived and arrested the defendant, who appeared emotional and said he would "kill" the victim.

He later pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and controlling and coercive behaviour. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In a victim personal statement read to the court by Ms Pollard, the victim said: "I moved away from where I was living, I couldn't sleep at night and photos will come up on my phone as memories and reminders. Because of all this I wanted to get away from all these reminders. Last night I couldn't sleep thinking about having to do this statement, I don't go out much and feel safer inside my house. I'm different from what I used to be. I feel emotionally damaged. I was a person who loved to go out but now I only go out for groceries and stay home.

"I fear I will see (the defendant) again and have moved away from the area. I have not shared my new address with friends so he can never find out where I am and I can remain safe. I have anxiety attacks and memories of what he did. I gave him so many chances to improve himself. It physically affects me thinking about what he did to me. I have moved away from Wales, I don't go out and socialise with colleagues. I haven't told anybody about what happened, including my house share."

In mitigation Hannah Friedman said her client was "extremely remorseful" and said the offences stem from alcohol. She said the defendant was born and raised in India and the possible catalyst for his drinking was the death of his mother in 2017..

Sentencing, Judge Eugene Egan said: "You held a knife to your victim, you bullied her, intimated her and treated her abysmally. She wanted to separate but you threatened her with dire consequences if she dared to do that. You were manipulative."

Sinha was sentenced to a total of 26 months imprisonment. He was also made subject to a restraining order for 10 years. Gwent Police refused to release a custody image of the defendant.

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