A Birmingham man has been jailed for five years and ten months after repeatedly assaulting his wife and threatening to murder her during a terrifying campaign of domestic abuse.
Rayan Mughal, 27, of Sparkbrook, attacked Mariyyah Raees on a number of occasions during their three-year relationship, including strangling her, punching her and breaking her thumb.
The final attack took place at her Birmingham flat on October 8, 2025, when Mughal bashed her head against a sofa, grabbed her by the throat and repeatedly assaulted her.
As she lay terrified, Ms Raees managed to start recording on her phone.
The resulting footage captured Mughal threatening to kill her.
‘This Is The Day I Lose My Life To This Man’
Speaking at Birmingham Crown Court, Ms Raees described believing she was going to die during the attack.
She said: “On October 8, 2025, Rayan beat me for the last time. A beating so brutal and dehumanising that I finally found the strength to call the police and put an end to it.”
She told the court she had been stripped naked and subjected to blows while Mughal repeatedly threatened to murder her.
“I thought that was it, this is the day I lose my life to this man. I wanted to live,” she said.
“I can’t stress enough that this man would have killed me one day.”
Ms Raees said her mother arriving at the property was crucial.
“If I hadn’t called my mom and she turned up, he would have killed me,” she said.
Mughal Heard Threatening To Kill Her
Prosecutors played more than three minutes of mobile phone footage to the court.
Mughal could be heard shouting: “I’m going to f****** murder you, do you understand me?”
He also told Ms Raees she deserved to be cheated on and that nobody would love her.
She could be heard crying and apparently screaming in pain during the recording.
Photographs showing red marks around her neck and bruising to her body were presented to the court, along with an X-ray showing the injuries to her thumb.
Relationship Described As ‘Toxic’
Prosecutor Sarah Allen described the couple’s relationship as “toxic”.
She said Mughal had been controlling and was “in the habit of assaulting and being deeply unpleasant” towards Ms Raees.
The court heard there were three particularly serious episodes of violence.
Strangled For Up To Ten Minutes
On March 20, 2025, Mughal started an argument with Ms Raees about what she was wearing.
He strangled her intermittently for around ten minutes and repeatedly punched her.
Ms Allen said Ms Raees did not report the attack because she was frightened about what he might do.
Mughal would beg her not to contact police and, on some occasions, threaten to harm himself in an attempt to influence her.
Thumb Broken During Second Attack
A second serious assault took place on May 26.
Ms Raees was at home with a friend when Mughal called her into the bedroom.
She told the court she immediately knew she was about to be attacked.
Mughal slapped her and threatened to smash a bottle over her head.
He then grabbed her thumb and broke it while dragging her into the bedroom.
The attack continued until Ms Raees’ friend screamed at him to stop.
Final Attack Led Her To Police
On October 8, Mughal again squeezed Ms Raees’ throat and repeatedly punched her.
It was during this attack that she managed to secretly record what was happening.
She later decided to report him to police.
Ms Raees told the court she had spent the relationship waiting for the next assault.
“There was never any calm, it was always a waiting game until the next time and with every next time that came, the violence became worse, became more dehumanising, more demonic,” she said.
‘I Have To Start My Life Over’
Ms Raees said she was unable to return to her flat for three weeks following the final assault.
Nearly a year later, she told the court she was still struggling with panic attacks, sleep problems, depression and isolation.
She also described recurrent pain in her head which she associated with the repeated occasions on which Mughal had restricted her breathing.
“I have to start my life over but it’s better than being found dead in my flat because you couldn’t control your disgusting anger,” she told him.
Mughal appeared by video link from HMP Birmingham and kept his head bowed as she delivered her victim impact statement.
‘I’m Here On Behalf Of All Those Women’
Ms Raees said she wanted other domestic abuse victims to see that coming forward could lead to justice.
“So many women die from domestic abuse, they don’t get taken seriously, they’re too scared to come forward,” she said.
“I’m here on behalf of all those women and I hope I get justice because if I do, we all do.”
Addressing Mughal directly, she said: “I despise you. You’re evil. You’re dangerous.”
She said she would not allow him to be the reason another woman went through the same experience.
Mughal Pleaded Guilty Before Trial
Mughal initially denied a string of offences but changed his pleas before he was due to stand trial.
He admitted two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm, strangulation and threats to kill.
A number of remaining charges, including controlling and coercive behaviour, were ordered to lie on the file.
Defence Said Bisexuality Was A ‘Trigger’
Emily Waggott, defending, told the court Mughal was “extremely remorseful”.
She said he was bisexual and had struggled with coming out during the relationship.
The defence said his sexuality was “not readily accepted in his culture” and that he had experienced significant shame.
Ms Waggott said this had overwhelmed him and was a factor in his behaviour, while stressing that it was not an excuse.
She said Mughal understood he should never have reacted violently.
The court also heard that he had previously performed well academically, obtained a university degree and had a job waiting for him at his father’s business upon release.
More than 30 positive character references were submitted on his behalf.
Five Years And Ten Months In Prison
Mughal was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison.
He was also made subject to a seven-year restraining order banning him from contacting Ms Raees.
Ms Raees told the court: “You deserve to be where you are today. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
