Man convicted of bludgeoning wife with shock absorber before setting fire to their home

Javed Qureshi, aged 30, had denied attempted murder and the lesser charge of grievous bodily harm. He has also denied a charge of arson with recklessness to endanger life.

During a five day trial at Stafford Crown Court this week, the jury had heard that Qureshi and his wife had been married a number of years but their relationship was “effectively over”.

In the morning of October 31 last year, at the flat they shared in Ellesmere Road, the court was told that Qureshi had subjected his wife to “extreme violence” that saw him strike her around the head with the shock absorber as she lay in bed.

He then admitted setting fire to the bedroom of their Ellesmere Road flat in a bid to “commit suicide” but denied he was attempting to kill his wife or endanger other lives.

The court heard how Qureshi's alleged victim managed to flee the blaze last year, that saw both her and her husband rushed to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.