Husband believed wife was into witchcraft and strange sex games - then he tried to kill her

As Suaad Alsayad prepared dinner for her family at their home in Skelmersdale, her husband made 'cut throat' gestures at her.

Fahmi Allosh, 40, had argued with his wife that evening as he wanted to return to Syria with the family, and she did not share his enthusiasm. The mum-of-three had recently spoken with a support worker about her husband's bizarre behaviour - accusations of witchcraft and infidelity, of strange sex games and plans to kill him.

She told her husband she would leave if he did not get help for his worsening mental health. But after speaking to her support worker, she said she had changed her mind about getting a divorce.

Then, on February 27, 2023, Allosh tried to kill her.

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That evening, a row broke out between the husband and wife at their home in Skelmersdale. Mrs Alsayad called her mother, but as she spoke on the phone, Allosh retreated upstairs in tears.

When he returned, he asked his wife, Suaad Alsayad if she was making his dinner. But as she prepared food for their evening meal, Allosh began making 'cut throat' gestures, saying: "I will kill you."

Shaking, Mrs Alsayad asked what he meant, but her husband told her not to worry. He then picked up three craft knives - telling her, "if you are concerned, take them".

But a short time later, as Mrs Alsayad emptied the breadbin, her husband spoke to her in Arabic, using chilling words which translated to 'behead', 'slit' and 'I will kill you., Preston Crown Court heard. He opened one of the craft knifes and locked the blade in place before lunging at his wife, slashing her face and neck.

As Mrs Alsayad ran from the house, he called his own mother, saying: "Mum, I kill her, I kill her, I've found the solution, I kill her..."

"He said it in a proud way, as if it was an achievement", Mrs Alsayad later told the police.

As Mrs Alsayad fled the house, neighbours came to her assistance, taking her children to safety and calling emergency services. When paramedics arrived, the mum-of-three was conscious but had lost a lot of blood from two injuries across her face and neck.

One of the wounds narrowly missed her jugular vain and her facial nerves were damaged, the court heard. Allosh was arrested and told police he did not intend to kill his wife - although he was later found guilty of attempted murder by a jury. During a trial at Preston Crown Court, the jury heard a troubling background of mental illness and accusations of infedility by Allosh.

"He talked about 'red mercury' and witchcraft", Peter Barr, prosecuting, said. "He was always saying she was in a relationship with another man."

It emerged in the months before the attack, Mrs Alsayad had spoken to a support worker and told her she wanted to divorce her husband.

"It is clear that they once loved each other very much", Judge Phillip Parry said. "Even now she told the court she still loves him."

But in the two years before the attack, Allosh, who was suffering with schizophrenia, said he had seen pornographic videos of his wife and said the men in the films had superimposed images of his female family members onto other pornographic clips.

Mrs Alsayad fiercely denied her husband's claims and during the subsequent investigation, no evidence of any such material was ever found.

"I find your claims incredible", Judge Parry told Allosh. "You said your wife was involved in black magic and intended to harm you." Allosh also claimed his wife and two men had "injected him with needles".

"I am quite sure the jury found your claims untruthful", the judge added. "What is plain is that there had been discussions between you and Mrs Alsayad in the months leading up to this, of divorce.

"You continued to accuse your wife of being with other men. You smashed another car and house windows because you believed a neighbour was sleeping with your wife. You received a police caution."

During the trial, Mrs Alsayad told the jury she had told her husband she wanted him to seek mental health support for his bizarre behaviour and accusations - saying if he did not seek help she would leave him.

But one evening, shortly before the attack, she overheard a conversation between her husband and his brother, who lived in Jordan, in which the brother said: "If you are convinced she is speaking to somebody, she has a relationship with somebody, the only thing you can do is kill her and bring the children over to Jordan. Your sister will look after the children."

Dr Lucy Bacon, consultant forensic psychiatrist at Guild Lodge, Preston, said Ahmed had made some progress with his treatment but it was 'far from complete'. She said she believed the defendant poses a risk to the public and has the potential to carry out 'really serious acts.' Her view was supported by consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Stephen Barlow.

Judge Parry said it was not possible to say how long it would be necessary to detain Allosh for to protect the public. He sentenced him under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act, to be detained at Guild Lodge.

"Whether and when you are released will be regarded by a first tier mental health tribunal", he said.