A MAN who threatened to kill his wife following a row over her getting his daughter to fast for Ramadan escaped jail yesterday.

Nageeb Hasson, 43, admitted he ‘lost it’ following the argument and held a kitchen knife to his wife Rashea’s throat at the family home in Newport.

Cardiff Crown Court heard there were stresses in their 26-year marriage and Hasson believed his wife was putting religion to the forefront of her life following a pilgrimage to Mecca.

On July 23, Hasson returned from work at 6.30pm and the couple began arguing over whether their daughter should be fasting because of her health problems as she is an epilepsy sufferer.

Prosecutor Nick Gedge said Hasson, now of Eleanor Place, Cardiff, slapped his wife to the face about four times before he punched through a wooden panel of one of the doors in the house.

The court heard the father told his wife he had divorced her in Arabic law and said he was going to get a knife and kill her.

Hasson then picked up a black-handled knife from the kitchen and thrust it towards her face. Rashea was able to push it away from her face and neck area and was left with a cut to a hand and the length of her arm.

Hasson, who pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill, then went upstairs before police were called.

Defending, Ruth Smith, said her client, who has worked for the past 17 years after taking qualifications in welding and fabrication, showed genuine remorse for the attack. She said Hasson felt at times his wife’s religious beliefs were having a “detrimental impact” on family life and he was upset his daughter fasted for four days in the circumstances.

Judge Daniel Williams gave Hasson a ten-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and a restraining order which will prevent him from contacting the victim.

He will also be subject to a curfew from 9am to 5pm for three months and will have to pay £340 towards prosecution costs.