A millionaire businessman who fought off knife-wielding thugs who threatened to kill his family was jailed for 30 months today - while his attackers remain free to walk the streets. Munir Hussain, his wife and their three children stumbled on three intruders, wearing balaclavas, in their home when they returned from their mosque during Ramadan. The family were ordered to lie on the floor of the living room with their hands behind their backs. As four of them were tied up, Mr Hussain's teenage son escaped through a window. Munir Hussain, right, with his brother Tokeer, left, outside Reading Crown Court where he was jailed for attacking an intruder who had held his family hostage Two of the raiders fled when they realised the youngster had gone. Mr Hussain then threw a coffee table at the third man, 56-year-old Walid Salem, hitting him in the face. He then enlisted his brother Tokeer in chasing the offenders down, bringing one of them to the ground in a nearby garden in the street in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. What followed was described in Reading Crown Court as self-defence that went too far, leaving intruder Salem with a permanent brain injury after he was struck with a cricket bat so hard that it broke into three pieces. Judge Reddihough noted Mr Hussain's 'courage' but said he had carried out a 'dreadful, violent attack' on the intruder as he lay defenceless. Salem was the only intruder caught after the incident on September 3, 2008, but his injuries meant he was not fit to plead after being charged with false imprisonment. Salem, who has a string of 50 past convictions, was given a two-year supervision order at a court hearing in September this year. The brothers, described as family men at the heart of the local community, were found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after a trial earlier this year. The prosecution alleged two other men took part in the so-called 'revenge attack' with them. Munir Hussain was given a 30-month sentence, because Judge John Reddihough decided he had been subjected to more provocation than his brother, Tokeer, who was jailed for 39 months. Judge Reddihough said Munir Hussain's family had been subject to a 'serious and wicked offence' and praised the bravery of his teenage son who escaped to raise the alarm. The judge told them: 'It may be that some members of the public, or media commentators, will assert that the man Salem deserved what happened to him at the hands of you and the two others involved, and that you should not have been prosecuted and need not be punished. 'However, if persons were permitted to take the law into their own hands and inflict their own instant and violent punishment on an apprehended offender rather than letting justice take its course, then the rule of law and our system of criminal justice, which are the hallmarks of a civilised society, would collapse.' Sentencing the brothers, whose mother had died just before the incident, the judge added: 'This case is a tragedy for you and your families. 'Sadly, I have no doubt that my public duty requires me to impose immediate prison sentences of some length upon you. 'This is in order to reflect the serious consequences of your violent acts and intent and to make it absolutely clear that, whatever the circumstances, persons cannot take the law into their own hands, or carry out revenge attacks upon a person who has offended them.' The brothers, who live near each other in High Wycombe, did not react as they were sentenced, but members of their family watching from the public gallery tearfully shook their heads. Michael Wolkind, defending, argued that his client was the 'real victim' in the case. Mr Wolkind said the case had similarities to that of farmer Tony Martin, who shot a teenage intruder, noting there was public support in both cases. He told the court: 'The public surely do not want Munir Hussain to receive imprisonment. I don't seek a medal, I seek justice for him.' Munir Hussain, usually a controlled man, had simply acted in the heat of the moment in 'extreme circumstances of stress', he added. The prosecution said the Hussains were not being convicted for apprehending Salem, but for the 'excessive force' they used on him. Hilary Neville, prosecuting, said: 'What started as reasonable self defence by Munir Hussain then turned into excessive force by virtue of a sustained attack by Munir, Tokeer and at least two others.' The court heard sentencing would have an impact on the local economy, with 10 members of staff losing their jobs at Soundsorba, the company run by Munir Hussain, who employs his brother as a technical director. The firm, which produces sound-absorbing material, has an annual turnover of £2.5m. Munir Hussain feels he let down his wife Shaheen Begum and sons Awais, 21, Samad, 15, and 18-year-old daughter Arooj, by failing to defend them against Salem and his gang. His wife had suffered a stroke prior to the incident, and had since had a mini stroke. There were now fears for his mental health, a psychiatrist who assessed him told the judge. Dr Philip Joseph said Munir Hussain could even attempt suicide if his depression reached that stage, saying: 'He would be in his cell, worrying about his family, thinking about the many losses he has suffered as a result of this incident. 'I would have concerns he would make a serious bid to harm himself.' Before today's sentencing, a senior police officer had told Munir Hussain, who previously won an Asian businessman of the year award and is head of the Race Equality Council for High Wycombe, that he had sympathy for him. The court heard Chief Inspector Colin Seaton of Thames Valley Police, the senior officer in the case, approached Munir Hussain after a community meeting, asking if there was anything he could do to help. 'He stated that whatever happened that night in the heat of the moment, he was still sad to see Munir Hussain and Tokeer Hussain convicted,' Mr Wolkind added. 'He said they were outstanding members of the community and they had done a great deal of work in the community, both before this incident and afterwards.'
The mistake he made was going out of his house to attack the criminal; vigilante justice is not tolerated in most countries, and in this case, he went way beyond vigilante justice. He beat the man, even after he already knew that the man was no longer able to resist, and continued to do so, striking him so hard that he broke a cricket bat on the man's head. This is not self defense or protection of one's family or property, but rather violent revenge upon someone that was defenseless. The amount of force used (and judges are generally very liberal with civilians) was clearly in excess of the need to defend oneself. The judge ruled perfectly in this regard.
fuck he threatened to kill his family. yea the law sucks. if they slaughtered the whole family then it would've been homicide and then they will get arrested and family dies. either way they are fucked. there is no justice here. i don't care someone who threatens to end mine or my family's life i'm gonna give it all and at that situation it wasn't just a threat it would've happen if he did nothing.
in the real world when someone threatens to kills your wife and kids and holds them hostage, your gona go into instinct/survival/crazy mode and do what you got to do. when i person flips out and loses his temper he also loses a part of his rationality unless he is restrained by another person and made to calm down, considering this and the situation i dont think the man should be punished for this. the criminal has to bare the consequences and deal with it imo but in this society you cant hurt the guy who was gona kill your family to much cus you'll get into trouble. the law system is a pile of crap.. until these judges and MP's are attacked... then its another matter entirely.
