Cricket club 'bemused' after cricketer who forced his wife to drink bleach is spared jail

A cricket team has denied knowing anything about a wifebeating amateur player who forced his wife to drink bleach – but was spared jail by the judge so he could play for the professional club.

Mustafa Bashir, 34, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm but told Manchester Crown Court in mitigation that he could accept a place at the club if he received a suspended sentence.

Bashir repeatedly beat his partner and forced her to drink bleach. However the judge said the victim was not vulnerable because she was ‘an intelligent woman with a network of friends’ and had a college degree.

But after he was given the suspended sentence, professional club Leicestershire CCC denied claims they had approached Bashir.

A statement read: “Leicestershire County Cricket Club are aware of stories that have been published this morning regarding Mustafa Bashir.

“The club are bemused by these stories. Any references to Mustafa Bashir signing or being approached to sign for Leicestershire County Cricket Club are completely false.

“The club have never spoken to Mustafa Bashir or an agent, nor offered a contract to the player.”

According to the Guardian, the Crown Prosecution Service is considering appealing the sentence in light of the statement from the second tier County Championship side.

Judge Richard Mansell QC handed down a suspended sentence after saying he did not believe Bashir’s wife to be “a victim”.

He told the court that he did not believe the college-educated receptionist was vulnerable as she was “an intelligent woman with a network of friends.”

He received an 18-month jail term suspended for two years, as well as attending a ‘building better relationships’ workshop, paying £1,000 and was banned from contacting her.

The judge told Bashir: “You told her how to spend her money and you tried to turn her against her family who you regularly insulted. She would buy clothes that were of a Western-style which you disapproved of and called her a slag and said her friends were “English slag girls”.

“But I am not convinced she was a vulnerable person. Sometimes women who moved here from their country become trapped in a relationship where they lose their support network of family and friends and cannot speak the language.

“This is not the case here. She is plainly an intelligent woman with a network of friends and did go on to graduate university with a 2:1 and a masters – although this has had an ongoing affect on her. She has difficulty trusting people now, especially men.

“With regard to the mitigating factors I am not convinced of your remorse for her, but you are sorry for the position you find yourself in over the last two years. Your current partner is supporting you in court and she complains of no violence. You have employment prospects of being employed in cricket for Leicestershire County Cricket Club.”