Woman doused husband with boiling water after ‘sex abuse’ because ‘he deserved it’

A housewife scalded her sleeping husband with a pan of boiling water after claiming he sexually abused her then told police: ‘He deserved it.’

Elmi Abdulle was taking an afternoon nap during last year’s lockdown on 11 May when Amina Ahmed, 54, poured the water over his head.

The skin of Mr Abdulle’s nose was ‘peeled off’ and he had burnt cheeks, Harrow Crown Court heard.

Eleven days earlier Ahmed had reported to her GP allegations of ‘a history’ of domestic and sexual abuse by her husband.

The allegations had been referred to the authorities three days before the attack, but no one ever visited the family home, the court heard.

Ahmed attended court wearing all black with a headscarf and facemask, she listened to proceedings with the help of a Somali interpreter.

She was sentenced to 19 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with thirty days rehabilitation activity requirement and 120 hours unpaid work.

Maureen Flaherty, prosecuting, said: ‘The complainant Mr Abdulle stated that his wife had, at some juncture earlier on in the day, come into the bedroom where he was asleep.

‘It was a very hot summer during Covid.

‘Mr Abdulle reported that he fell asleep having initially seen his wife.

‘Some time later at about 1 o’clock, he awoke to find that his face was wet and effectively burning water had been thrown to his face.

‘He told ambulance personnel that he saw his wife leaving the room with a pan in her hand, a saucepan of some sort.

‘He remembered pulling the blanket over himself in order to protect himself from further injury.

‘Mr Abdulle did not see his wife thereafter.’

Ms Ahmed stated that she had recently sought assistance in relation to domestic violence.

‘She said that she had been physically abused for more than three months but accepted that she had not reported that to the police, she nonetheless at that juncture also asserted that her husband deserved it.’

While at the police station Ahmed told custody officers she had been ‘beaten up’ and complained of a pain to her upper right wrist.

Expect burns doctors said Mr Abdulle’s injuries covered 3 per cent of his body area, included partial thickness burns to the left side of his face, the bridge of his nose and left pectoral region of his upper arms.

By July that year he had made a ‘good recovery.’

Ahmed initially denied the causing grievous bodily harm and admitted actual bodily harm on the first day of the trial on 6 January this year.

Statements written by the husband and other witnesses were withdrawn as the trial date approached, with everyone asking only that Ahmed receive help and assistance’.

Lucie Wibberley, defending, suggested there was had been a history of rising tensions at home which included physical violence by the husband towards his family.

She said: ‘The context is that it was Ramadan and the family had to rest during the day for the evening, the mother’s task was that had to prepare the food.

‘She’s cooking in kitchen that’s why the pan was on and heated up. She regrets taking the decision to pour it on her husband.

‘She hadn’t slept for many nights and was plainly depressed and sleep deprived at the time.

‘There was a history of abuse. This wasn’t a premeditated attack rather these are the circumstances that she found herself in and as people in these cases often do, she took what was to hand.’

The complaints about domestic abuse had been referred to social services three days before the attack, but due to the pandemic no one had attended and ‘pressures continued to build,’ added Ms Wibberley.

She said Ahmed had since made efforts to learn English which was ‘extremely limited’ when they first met, and with the support of ‘progressive’ younger relatives Ahmed hoped to get a job.

‘All these younger people see the world in different way to the world perhaps that she entered into with husband those many years ago.

‘They encourage her not to tolerate behaviour that perhaps she tolerated in the past, she’s finding her feet, trying to find independent housing, she hasn’t been able to due to bail conditions.

‘She’s hoping to find work for the first time since married her husband what happened to this lady is she’s reached a point of her life where she’s able to assert herself.

‘What happened is wholly regrettable, she’s very sorry for that and regrets doing it.

‘He’s threatened to kill her in the past, she had a defensive state of mind, she genuinely frightened of him.

‘He exercised complete control over her financially, she was not allowed to work, not allowed to learn English.

‘He would repeatedly verbally abuse her, he threatened to kill her, on occasion to stab her.

‘He has gaslighted her, he would call her crazy, crazy woman. There was a sexual abuse aspect of being coerced which clearly had an impact on her.

‘She is a different character, she has blossomed, has become confident, is working hard on her English.’

Judge Rosa Dean said she could not ‘make factual findings’ on domestic abuse given the allegations made by Ahmed had not been investigated or proven in court.

Judge Dean told her: ‘In May of last year, during the pandemic and during Ramadan you went into the bedroom where your husband was asleep, taking with you a pan of very hot water which you threw at him.

‘But your husband awoke to dreadful pain.

‘You did nothing to help your husband.

‘Your husband rushed to the bathroom to pour cold water on his face

‘Your attitude was that your husband deserved it, although once at the police station and when interviewed you did say that you were sorry.

‘You complained that you had injuries as a result of domestic violence – no injuries could be seen – the police not inspecting under your clothing.

‘In the meantime your husband was very seriously injured, burn injuries are exceptionally painful, he had partial thickness burns to his face and neck

‘He and you are lucky that the long time consequences are not more serious and it would appear that with a good deal of medical help had made a reasonable recovery by the end of July.

‘It is clear that for whatever reason you were very depressed at the time.

‘I have seen evidence that you complained to the GP in advance of this incident and that you had a expressed wish for your husband to leave the family home.

‘I am invited to treat it as mitigating, the assertion by you that you had been the victim for some time of domestic abuse, I do not have evidence of this.

‘It is very difficult for the court to make an informed and fair decision both to you and the victim of this serious attack.

‘There does seem to be a good prospect of rehabilitation for you, I’m very pleased to hear that you are on the right medication and are taking steps to lead an independent life.’

Ahmed spent 37 days in prison following her court appearance due to concerns about her mental health and risk of committing further offences, she then spent 130 days on GPS tag.

Ahmed, of Hay Lane, Kingsbury, northwest London, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 19 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with 120 hours unpaid work and thirty days rehabilitation activity requirement.