A TAXI driver has been sentenced to nine months in prison after he grabbed a knife and threatened to kill his wife.

Jordat Kamran, aged 48, pleaded guilty to making threats to kill and assault on the day his trial was due to start at Bolton Crown Court.

Robert Elias, prosecuting, said: "This was the end of an unhappy marriage. It was an incident which was out of character."

The court heard how Kamran and his wife had married in 2005 and they went on to have two children before moving to England last year.

Mr Elias said that on September 27 Kamran lost his temper and by the evening his anger escalated until he threatened to kill his wife.

"He was swearing at her, wishing her to die," said Mr Elias.

"He put one hand on her throat and one on her arm and said, 'I am going to finish you today'."

Kamran then went and got a kitchen knife and brandished it in front of her and their children before leaving the house and driving off.

"It was a short incident of violence," said Mr Elias.

Kamran's wife was so frightened of him returning that she barricaded herself in the house.

After the woman's sister arrived the next day police were called and found Kamran in his taxi parked around the corner.

When questioned, he admitted they had argued but initially denied using violence or making threats.

Ahmed Nadim, defending, stated that he had now pleaded guilty and spared his wife and children the ordeal of having to give evidence.

"The defendant is a man of previous positive good character," said Mr Nadim.

"In order to provide for his family he used to work two jobs and it maybe therein lies the explanation for this unfortunate behaviour.

"The stresses and strains of holding two jobs over long hours may have contributed to the loss of temper that resulted in these offences being committed."

He stressed that Kamran, an Italian national who is hoping to return to his country once the coronavirus outbreak is over, had already spent 24 weeks in custody while awaiting trial.

Sentencing Kamran, of Atkinson Avenue, Bolton, Recorder Neville Biddle told him: "You worked hard, you had two jobs but it provided little money to your wife.

"Sometimes there was no food in the house and sometimes you were demeaning towards her."

He added: "Possibly the most serious element of this offence is that it was committed in the presence of the children. I am sure that is something you deeply regret."

Because of the time already spent in custody Kamran was released.

A restraining order was made banning him from contacting his wife for five years.

Recorder Biddle told him: "I hope you can now move on — put these matters behind you. You are a man of good character. I don't expect to see you before the court again."