Babur Raja's defence claims he was left "overwhelmed" by pressure from his mother over his relationship with a "white woman".
18:46, UK,Thursday 23 June 2016
A company director who tried to stab to death his pregnant partner and their unborn child has been jailed for 18 years.
Babur Raja carried out a "horrific, premeditated, persistent knife attack" with a 12-inch kitchen blade on Natalie Querioz, Judge Simon Drew QC said.
Raja, 41, claimed that he was "overwhelmed" with stress because his mother disapproved of his relationship with a non-Muslim woman.
The judge at Birmingham Crown Court accepted he was under "great stress" and was forced to choose between the two but said the offences were "carefully planned" for at least two days.
It had been "no spontaneous meltdown" but a "deliberate" plan, the judge said.
"Once you chose your mother over your partner and child you resolved not only to terminate your relationship but terminate them," Judge Drew added.
Raja had quizzed his Ms Queiroz for her exact movements prior to the attack, so much so that she joked that he sounded like a stalker.
"You really were (a stalker)," Judge Drew added.
Raja admitted in May trying to kill Ms Queiroz during a "frenzied" attack in Sutton Coldfield town centre on 4 March.
On Friday, the court heard the couple's unborn baby was just 2mm away from being struck by the blade he used in the attempt to kill her.
The prosecution said that Ms Queiroz suffered a "prolonged" attack at the hands of Raja, who repeatedly attempted to stab her in the street.
Several passers-by, aged between 16 and 70, tried to help and were in the process stabbed by Raja.
As a result of the actions of the passers-by, Ms Queiroz was initially able to break free but Raja caught up with her and stabbed her again while she was on the floor, and tried to cut her throat.
The victim was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition and underwent an emergency caesarean section.
Her baby was saved but suffered swelling to the brain and is said to have possible long-term brain damage.
Neither mother or baby saw each other for the first five days of its life as both were in intensive care units.
Jane Humphryes QC, in mitigation, said turmoil over the disagreement with his conservative Muslim mother had "tipped him over the edge" leading to a temporary mental illness or "adjustment disorder", leaving him with little memory of what he had done.
She said: "His mother had not been happy he was in a relationship with a white woman, and told him he must leave her or she would not be in contact."
Prosecuting barrister Benjamin Aina QC said that it is possible that Ms Queiroz's life was only saved by the type of bra she was wearing and her breast implants, which were ruptured during the attack.
Raja had also admitted attempted child destruction, possession of a knife in public and the wounding and assault of two passers-by.
A statement on behalf of Ms Queiroz was read out outside the court by her police family liaison officer DC Ruth Boddy.
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