Bradford dad jailed for strangling ex and racist rant

A "vile" domestic abuser who strangled his partner until she struggled to breathe—before launching a torrent of racist and homophobic abuse at arresting officers—has been jailed. 

Qasim Mahmood, 31, of Idle Road, Bradford, appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Monday where he was sentenced to two years and three months in prison. The court heard how the defendant subjected his partner of five years to a campaign of "escalating violence" that left her fearing for her life, before turning his aggression on the police.

"I thought I was going to die"

Prosecutor Emily Thorbjornsen told the court that the relationship had been generally good until the last few months, when Mahmood began to assault the victim. The violence culminated in a terrifying attack on 30 September 2025.

The court heard that Mahmood, who had been drinking, punched the woman in the face, cutting her lip, before grabbing her by the throat.

Read more: Leeds Predator Jailed for Knifepoint Rape of Teenager

"He then strangled the complainant, during which she was struggling to breathe and she let out a squeal before he let go," Ms Thorbjornsen said.

In a harrowing victim impact statement read to the court, the woman described the moment she feared she would be killed: “I thought I was going to die. I let out a yelp. That replays in my head daily.”

The court was told of previous incidents of violence between January and September 2025. On one occasion, during an argument, Mahmood threw a mobile phone at the victim’s face, splitting her eyebrow and leaving a permanent scar. When she attempted to photograph the injury, he deleted the image. On other occasions, he repeatedly kicked her in the legs and back.

"I was left with bruises and hand marks around my neck," the victim stated. "That was the day I found the strength to leave as I was scared he would kill me."

Read more: Tube Predator Jailed After Stalking and Sexual Assault Spree

"Vile" Abuse of Officers

Following the September assault, police attended to arrest Mahmood. The defendant, described as being intoxicated, became aggressive and unleashed a barrage of hate speech against the officers.

He told police he would "knock them out" and targeted a female officer with horrific insults, calling her a "dumb fing idiot prostitute" and a "fing little immigrant whore b***ard mongrel".

Turning his aggression toward a male officer, Mahmood screamed homophobic abuse, asking if the officer was gay and calling him "queer".

Read more: Axe-Wielding Far-Right Teenager Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder

Sentencing

Mahmood pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, intentional strangulation, using threatening or abusive behaviour, and using racially aggravated words to cause alarm or distress. The court noted he had seven previous convictions, including assaulting an emergency worker in 2021.

Defending, Mollie Briggs argued that Mahmood had been suffering from anxiety and depression following the deaths of his uncle, grandmother, and cousin in close succession. She stated he had "self-medicated" with alcohol and substances but was now sober and remorseful.

Passing sentence, His Honour Judge Ahmed Nadim rejected the mitigation as an excuse for the violence. He told Mahmood: "I accept that you are now remorseful and have experienced tragedy in life. Whilst it may serve to explain your offending behaviour [it] constitutes no consolation to the victims of your violence."

Judge Nadim noted the "escalating violence" had left the victim psychologically damaged and permanently scarred. In addition to the jail term, a seven-year restraining order was imposed, banning Mahmood from contacting the victim.