Greater Manchester’s Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner has slammed a judge’s comments after he let a violent and controlling abuser walk free, calling on the Attorney General to urgently review the case.

Speaking after a Manchester judge gave Mustafa Bashir, from Cheetham Hill, a suspended sentence because he didn’t believe the victim was vulnerable, Tony Lloyd said:

“It is astonishing that in this day in age, a member of our judiciary can come out with comments that are not only dangerous but are ignorant and perpetuate the myths and misconceptions that in Greater Manchester we have worked so hard to break.

“Very few of us will agree with the judge’s comments around the vulnerability of the victim. All of us are vulnerable at some point in our lives and anyone can become a victim of abuse – men and women. Domestic abuse does not discriminate and neither should the criminal justice system.

“This man subjected his wife to a life of torment, fear and violence, the scars of which will be with her for a very long time to come. Justice must be done, and must be seen to be done – and in this case justice has failed.

“I call on the Attorney General to urgently review this case and restore public faith in our criminal justice system and bring hope to victims.”

Tony is writing to the Attorney General and the Justice Secretary Liz Truss calling on them to review the case and address the comments made by Judge Richard Mansell QC yesterday.