Machete man in rage over ‘love rival’

A JEALOUS husband went after his love rival with a machete when he thought his wife was having an affair.

Omer Rasheed (28) flew into a blind rage when he believed he had discovered the relationship, and telephoned Jamil Azam threatening to kill him.

He went to Mr Azam’s parents home in Oldham where the innocent man’s wife and six children were at the time, and tried to barge his way in, brandishing the weapon.

Mr Azam’s unsuspecting father, opened the front door to be faced with wild-faced Rasheed holding the machete in both hands above his head.

He managed, with the help of his eldest grandson to force the door closed, but Rasheed then began to thrust the sword-type knife repeatedly through the letter box.

He then swung the weapon at a double-glazed window at the home on Copster Hill Road, shattering the glass and causing £200 worth of damage.

Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court was told that earlier, Rasheed had gone to the Oxford Street Supermarket on Oxford Street, Oldham, where he thought he would find Mr Azam.

He had again brandished the weapon in menacing fashion, demanding to know from his victim’s uncle, where he could find him, and again threatening to kill him.

Jailing him for a total of 12 months, judge Leslie Newton told him: “I am satisfied that there is a genuine sense of remorse, but this was quite a protracted incident in which threats were made in a public place, and there were a number of members of Mr Azam’s family who were absolutely terrified by what you did.”

She said: “I have tried to see if there are any means of dealing with you without sending you to prison, but I am afraid custody is inevitable.”

The court had been told that Rasheed, who worked for local dairy firm Dairyfresh, had been having problems in his relationship with his wife, and had wrongly suspected she was having an affair.

David Thomson, defending, said: “His actions were down to the frustration and emotional distress borne out of what he thought was going on between his wife and Mr Azam.

“He thought they were engaging in an affair, but he now accepts with the benefit of hindsight, that this was a foolish conclusion to reach.”

He added “His attitude is one of deep regret for what he has done, and the shame it has brought on his family.”

He told the court his wife had forgiven him for what he thought she had been doing, and their relationship had now improved. “It was sheer jealousy that gave rise to these offences” he said.

Rasheed, of Chapel Road, Oldham, pleaded guilty to offences of making threats to kill, affray, possession of an offensive weapon, and destroying property. He was told he will serve half his sentence in custody before being released on license.