Sentence review for wife assault man who claimed cricket club deal

A man spared jail for domestic violence after telling a court he would lose an offer to play professional cricket is to have his sentence reviewed on Friday after the club denied any such offer.

Mustafa Bashir, 34, was given a suspended sentence at Manchester Crown Court for assaulting wife Fakhara Karim.

The judge was told that if Bashir was spared custody, he would be employed as a professional player by Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

The club later said the claim was "wholly false".

Judge Richard Mansell QC has ordered Bashir's sentence to be reviewed at Manchester Crown Court at a hearing on Friday.

Judge Mansell has been heavily criticised by domestic abuse campaigners after he reportedly said Miss Karim was not vulnerable because she was a graduate.

Bashir was said to have beaten his wife with a cricket bat and forced her to drink bleach.

He was given an 18-month sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, destroying or damaging property and using a destructive substance with intent to maim.

His lawyers claimed in mitigation he would lose the offer of a professional contract to play cricket with Leicestershire.

The club later contacted the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to deny any such offer.

CPS guidance on sentencing states a sentence can be reviewed under the "slip rule" of section 155 Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000.

It gives courts the power to alter a sentence or other order made by the judge within 56 days of the date on which it was made.

One reason for altering the sentence is that further information relevant to the sentence has become available to the court.