AN ARRANGED marriage descended into domestic abuse when the husband stabbed his wife with a key and threatened to kill her if she didn’t drink alcohol.

Saqib Ishaq, 31, wept as Judge Samantha Leigh told him he took away “any self worth his wife had” when he ripped off her shirt and threatened to send pictures to her family.

The couple had been together since 2012 following an arranged marriage in Pakistan before relocating to Westcliff.

Basildon Crown Court heard yesterday that between August and September last year at the their home in Westborough Road, Ishaq had become angry due to some faded paint in a kitchen cupboard, and shouted at his wife before stabbing her in the thigh with a car key, drawing blood.

Then, on January 3 this year, Ishaq became angry when his wife discussed their relationship with his mother, who lived in the same home as the couple and their two children.

He punched her several times, before leaving and returning with several bottles of wine.

He demanded she drink it, despite it being against her religion, and when she refused he became enraged and tore off her shirt, taking photos of her topless, and threatening to send them to her family.

Part of this was witnessed by Ishaq’s mother, who he had previously sent outside, and overheard by their children, before his wife fled to the neighbours and police were called.

Mitigating, Kevin Toomey said that it was “screamingly obvious” that Ishaq needs help with anger management.

Judge Samantha Leigh said: “You told her if she called the police that you would kill her. The children were described as stressed. She has had to leave her home.

“These actions by you were deliberately degrading to your wife, belittling her and taking away any self worth that she had.”

Ishaq admitted two counts of causing actual bodily harm and one count of making threats to kill and was jailed for two years six months.