A WOMAN whose ex-husband became embroiled in a row with his neighbour has told of her shock that such a kind man could die so brutally.
Tarik Hussein, 28, battered Esmaeil Tofigh, 56, with a hammer at his home on Plymouth Grove in Longsight, Manchester.
When the emergency services arrived at the scene during the early hours of February 5 they found Esmaeil’s body on the living room floor. He has suffered a serious head injury, police said.
Hussein, 28, admitted fatally attacking 56-year-old shop worker and dad of two during a hearing at Manchester Crown Court.
On Friday he was sentenced to a Section 37 Hospital Order and Section 41 Restriction order having pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility following the attack in February 2023.
Esmaeil’s ex-wife, Nicola Bevington, has revealed the pair had stayed close after their split, and praised him with saving her own life.
Nicola, 39, from Manchester, says: “Esmaeil was one in a million. Even though we had separated, we had stayed close. Neither of us met anyone else; I still loved him.
“I knew he’d had problems with his neighbours but could never have imagined he would die so brutally.
“He was a gentle man who would never hurt anyone, and it breaks my heart.”
Nicola and Esmaeil met in 2001 in Manchester.
Nicola said: “I had been in a women’s refuge because I was feeling a violent relationship. Esmaeil lived nearby and we just got chatting on the street one day. There was an age difference but that didn’t matter.
“He was so kind and gentle and we fell for each other. He really looked after me. He was a great cook and couldn’t do enough for me.
“He was an asylum seeker from Iran so had been through his own trauma, yet he only thought of other people.”
Esmaeil proposed two months later and the couple were married on August 26 2003 at Manchester Register Office. They went on to have a son and a daughter.
Nicola says: “Esmaeil was a devoted dad and a good husband. But he suffered with depression, and it affected our relationship.”
They separated in 2010, when their children were aged four and two, but remained close friends.
Nicola says: “Even after we split, Esmaeil stayed living nearby. He cooked for me, and we were close. He’d often do my shopping. His flat was only a 20 minute walk away so we’d see each other a lot.
“Neither of us found love again. I think deep down I was still in love with him, and I like to think he was with me too. I cared so much about him.
“I knew he had some problems with his neighbours. Esmaeil was a quiet man who liked a peaceful life, and he was bothered by issues from surrounding houses.
But I didn’t know any more than that. I don’t think he wanted to bother anyone with his problems.”
The court heard how Tarik Hussein became increasingly paranoid regarding his neighbour Esmaeil Tofigh over a period of time, believing that Esmaeil wanted to harm him and his family.
During the early hours of Sunday 5 February 2023, Tarik visited his neighbour’s house.
An argument developed, and Tarik attacked Esmaeil with a hammer, inflicting a number of fatal wounds to his head.
Tarik then went home where he contacted the emergency services and made a number of disturbing disclosures.
Emergency services attended the scene and found Esmaeil’s body on the living room floor with serious head wounds which proved fatal.
Upon being assessed by a number of psychiatrists, they concluded Tarik had been mentally unwell at the time of the fatal incident and that he had a medical defence to Murder of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Mr Tofigh was discovered ‘unresponsive’ on his living room floor surrounded by ‘a large amount of blood’, an inquest previously heard.
Senior Investigating Officer Duncan Thorpe, from GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit: “Firstly, my sincere condolences go to Esmaeil loved ones at this extremely difficult time. I would like to express my thanks to them for their support and co-operation throughout this investigation.
” No family or friends should ever have to experience the devastating pain of losing a loved one in this way. Our collective thoughts are with Esmaeil’s loved ones at this extremely difficult time.”
Nicola says: “I am glad we have closure at last but nothing will bring him back. He was such a peaceful man and the way he died is truly horrific.”
