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Carer jailed for attacking partner

Carer jailed for attacking partner

A carer has been jailed for attacking his "utterly defenceless" partner, the BBC reported.

Tahir Malik, 54, was sentenced to three years in prison.


Malik hit former Leeds University professor Timothy Potts, 88, who had dementia, "out of frustration", a court heard.

Sentencing judge Christopher Batty told Leeds Crown Court the attacks against the 88-year-old had involved weapons and left him with "very significant" injuries.

Dr Potts, who taught philosophy, had been in a relationship with Malik for 19 years, with his health deteriorating in 2015.

Malik took on caring responsibilities, the court heard, undertaking research on what medication could help prolong the life of his partner.

Judge Batty said he believed Malik "did actually care for Dr Potts greatly" and that he loved him, but the assaults towards the end of his life came out of "frustration".

"There is no doubt that caring for him became a significant burden for you," the judge said.

While he accepted it was "a very difficult job", the judge told Malik it was no excuse for Malik losing his temper in a "significant way" and being "unable to control [his] anger and frustration".

Malik, of Agbrigg Road, Wakefield, who was found guilty after a trial, had "fought to the end" and denied two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, Judge Batty said.

There was no suggestion the assaults led to Dr Potts' death in July 2018.

Judge Batty said he hoped police would investigate Malik's treatment of another person he had been caring for at the time of the assaults.

Dr Potts, who worked at the university from 1962, eventually became a senior fellow before he retired in 1992.

He authored numerous books and established The Mangoletsi Trust in memory of his mother.

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