A jealous boyfriend who left his former girlfriend fearing for her life when he broke into her property while she was asleep and held her hostage at knifepoint has been jailed for five years.
Bahaa Kadum, 26, broke into the property of Shannon Griffiths in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, as she slept with her partner Thomas Fahey at 4.30am on October 20 last year.
Miss Griffiths woke up to see Kadum stood in her bathroom urinating in the toilet before running back to her bedroom to alert her boyfriend.
After realising the pair were in a relationship, Kadum went into the kitchen and pulled out a large knife from a drawer before confronting his ex-girlfriend.
Mr Fahey moved into the second bedroom and tried to barricade himself inside while the assailant repeatedly punched and stabbed the door with the knife.
He managed to flee the property by jumping from the bedroom window as Kadum continued to terrorise Miss Griffiths and struck her face twice, causing her to fall into the landing wall.
Bahaa Kadum, 26, was sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment after pleading guilty to one count of false imprisonment and two counts of making threats to kill
The siege finally ended when police, who had been alerted by Mr Fahey, attended Miss Griffith’s property and arrested Kadum.
He was sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment after pleading guilty to one count of false imprisonment and two counts of making threats to kill.
In a statement Miss Griffiths said: ‘This was the most terrifying experience of my life and I genuinely believed I was going to die.
‘He is a manipulative person who wanted to control me and my life and I cannot believe he would come to my home and keep me hostage.
‘If the police had not arrived, I would have been murdered by him. I am terrified about him getting out and hunting me down. I always have to look over my shoulder.
‘I should not have to live my life like this. He is a horrible and dangerous human being.’
Miss Griffiths and Kadum had dated for three years but had split up in May 2020 due to him being ‘controlling and possessive’ and the following October she began a relationship with Mr Fahey.
Ben Lawrence prosecuting said: ‘Miss Griffiths and Mr Fahey were upstairs in bed when she heard a noise and saw the defendant in the bathroom, urinating in the toilet with the door open.
‘He then entered the bedroom, asked who Mr Fahey was, then turned and went downstairs whilst being followed by Miss Griffiths and picked up a large kitchen knife.
Kadum smashed a downstairs kitchen window (pictured) to get into the property of Shannon Griffiths in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, at 4.30am on October 20 last year
The jealous boyfriend threatened to kill his ex-friend and her partner after breaking into their property. Pictured: Damage to the house during the siege
Kadum went into the kitchen and pulled out a large knife from a drawer before confronting his ex-girlfriend
‘He told Miss Griffiths: ”I’m going to kill him” then ran upstairs saying: ”If I can’t have you, no-one can.”
‘Mr Fahey moved into the second bedroom and sought to barricade himself inside but the defendant tried to barge the door open, punched it, and stabbed it with the knife saying: ”Come out now, I’m going to stab you.”
‘Miss Griffiths pursued the defendant upstairs and sought to pull him away from the door and told him to get out. But he struck her to the face, twice, causing her to fall into the wall and she was in tears.
‘He said: ”I dare you to try and save him again” and she retreated, and tried to find her phone to call the police.
‘Meanwhile Mr Fahey, fearing for his safety and wishing to seek help, escaped the house via the upstairs bedroom window.
‘The defendant heard the noise of his exit and chased after him but Mr Fahey was too fast for him and he subsequently contacted the police.
‘The defendant returned to the house to confront Miss Griffiths.
‘He was was being really racist towards her and he swore on his dad’s ashes and his mum’s life that he would kill her.
‘He came towards her with the knife, causing her to fear he would use it and she cowered behind the sofa. He told her he was going to kill her and that she was going to die saying he would stab her or set her on fire and then kill himself.
The jealous boyfriend terrorised his former girlfriend and struck her face twice, causing her to fall into the landing wall
‘He was gritting his teeth and spitting at her as he stood over her and said: ”Look what you’ve made me do”.
‘She asked him to let her leave but he said, ”you’re f***ed, you’ve got no chance”.
‘She describes that she was a hostage in her own home. At one point, he obtained toilet roll and threatened to set fire to it and to blankets with a lighter.
‘At another point, she tried to move away but he struck her to the head again and dragged her back to the sofa.
‘He then struck her a number of times to the head. She said she had ”never been so scared in my life”. She genuinely thought he was going to kill her.
‘A little later, he moved towards her with the knife and when she tried to push him away, the knife connected with her arm, causing a small cut.
‘The offending ended when the police attended. The defendant asked Miss Griffiths to help him escape and told her not to say anything to the police. However, she ran out of the back door crying.’
Kadum stabbed himself in the left forearm before being arrested. He denied the offences in police interview and claimed he was still in a relationship with Miss Griffiths.
In mitigation, defence counsel Robin Kitching said: ‘He had no idea that Mr Fahey was there and had gone to the house to see Miss Griffiths.
‘The incident then unfolded quite unexpectedly and he had no intention to cause any injuries to either of them. He wishes to express his remorse and regret.’
Sentencing Kadum, the judge Mr Recorder Ian Harris told him: ‘The facts of your offending are appalling and terrifying. It was thirty minutes of abuse, terror and vile verbal abuse and threats.
‘It was 4.30 in the morning and people are entitled to feel safe and secure in their home, particularly in the dead of night. You went into that house uninvited, and you were unwelcome.
‘This was planned, as you were dropped off by your brother who drove you there. You were motivated by jealously and revenge.
‘No doubt the police would have been met by a scene of carnage.’
Kadum has also been banned from contacting Miss Griffiths and Mr Fahey indefinitely under the terms of a restraining order.
