Legal student beat girlfriend over threat to reveal pregnancy
Muslim paralegal, 24, feared he would be ostracised because he was in a mixed-race relationship
A MUSLIM paralegal beat up his girlfriend when she threatened to reveal to his friend that she was pregnant, a court has heard.
Harris Imran, 24, had been “shunned” by his family after they found out about his mixed-race relationship and so he did not tell them his partner was pregnant.
Having already been ostracised by relatives, he was said to have been “terrified” his friend would also shun him if the pregnancy was revealed.
His would-be career in law may now be in tatters after he assaulted his girlfriend of three years in an argument that stemmed from a phone call.
Teesside magistrates’ court heard that Mr Imran was called by a friend on Dec 21 but lied and told his partner the call was from his grandmother.
When his girlfriend found out the truth, she threatened to message his friend to reveal her pregnancy – causing Imran to “flip out.”
Lynne Dalton, prosecuting, said the couple got into an argument after returning home from a family meal and he got her into a “headlock and grabbed her by the throat”.
She told the court: “She was 17 weeks pregnant at the time. His girlfriend threatened to call his friend to tell them she was pregnant after the argument.
“He was concerned the friend wouldn’t have been happy with the pregnancy because of his Muslim back- ground.”
Ms Dalton added that Mr Imran’s parents, who live in Dubai, told him he had “brought shame to his family and had disowned him” over his relationship with the woman, from Stockton.
Mr Imran, who admitted common assault, had previously worked in Newcastle as a paralegal and was due to begin a law practice course later this year.
Callum Terry, defending, said: “He has recently finished a law degree and wanted to become a solicitor.
“That route will be closed to him and he won’t be admitted as a solicitor which is a significant barrier to him moving forward.”
He said that Mr Imran “flipped” after his girlfriend said she would make the call. It was something he “continues to regret” and was “extremely troubled” about what he did.
Mr Terry added: “The likelihood of him being at court in the future is nonexistent.”
Mr Imran, formerly of Stockton and who now lives in Leeds, was visibly upset as he was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £105 costs.