USMAN ALI FROM SUNDERLAND JAILED FOR DOMESTIC ABUSE AND CONTROL FREAK BEHAVIOR

A well-respected former Sunderland City Council councillor and school governor has been exposed as a violent and controlling individual, leading to his imprisonment. To the public eye, Usman Ali was seen as a pillar of his community, actively involved in local initiatives and employing staff across his five businesses. He also appeared to enjoy a happy marriage with a woman he met online, presenting an image of domestic bliss complemented by expensive gifts such as a Bentley Continental and a BMW X5, which he gifted to his wife. However, beneath this facade of affluence and happiness, a disturbing pattern of coercive and violent behavior was unfolding over a period of seven years.

It was revealed in court that Ali, aged 40, who retired from his role as a Sunderland City Council councillor in April following the exposure of his misconduct, had subjected his wife to a relentless campaign of control and abuse. The court heard that Ali, during the period from August 2016 to October 2023, engaged in a series of coercive acts aimed at dominating her life. He had met his wife through Tinder in 2016, and their relationship quickly intensified. He persuaded her to leave her job, promising a salary of £45,000, which he ultimately failed to pay. Instead, he claimed she was living with him and worked for him, performing constituency work and domestic chores, often up to 70 hours a week without pay, while he covered her expenses.

Neighbors witnessed some of Ali’s aggressive conduct, which included slapping her legs, calling her derogatory names, and issuing threats. On one notable occasion, he chased her from a taxi, dragged her back, and was heard threatening to kill her. Although he apologized the following day, citing alcohol as the cause, his abusive behavior persisted. Ali would frequently lock her inside their home, restrict her movements, and demand access to her texts and whereabouts. He imposed strict dress codes, insisting she wear short skirts and high heels, and forbade her from tying her hair up. His controlling tactics extended to physically restraining her, damaging her belongings, and assaulting her on more than ten occasions.

In 2021, the victim became pregnant through IVF. Ali reacted with anger when she showed signs of labor, celebrating drunkenly after her hospital visit. Upon her return home, he forced her to perform household chores and made threats to abduct their child, planning to take him to Pakistan. He also discussed having a second wife, further illustrating his controlling and manipulative nature. The court noted that Ali frequently threatened self-harm and used his connections to gangsters as a means of intimidation. The victim described suffering from anxiety, panic attacks, and self-harm, feeling deceived after discovering numerous lies about Ali’s life and background.

Judge acknowledged that Ali’s conduct was aimed at humiliating and degrading his wife, with his position as a councillor being exploited to hinder her from reporting the abuse. The court sentenced Ali to two years and seven months in prison and issued an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim. The judge emphasized that the abusive pattern had persisted for over seven years and that Ali posed a significant risk to future partners. During his defense, Ali’s legal team highlighted his previously exemplary character, his employment record, and his ownership of multiple businesses. They also mentioned his struggles with alcohol under stress and expressed remorse for his actions. Ali, who resides on Hopton Drive in Ryhope, Sunderland, had recently stepped down from his role on the city council, which he was elected to in 2021, following the revelations of his abusive behavior.