Wife 'made up' alligator claims

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A woman made up claims her husband threatened to chop up her children and feed them to his pet alligators, a court has heard.

Erjan Ibrahim, 41, kept the reptiles in the basement at the home he shared with Hazel Wright and her three children in Wellingborough Road, Northampton.

Mr Ibrahim told Northampton Crown Court: "If Hazel had insisted I would have got rid of the animals."

He denies charges of assault, threats to kill and actual bodily harm.

Nicola Shannon, defending, told the court Mrs Wright made up the allegations to get her client out of her life.

I never wanted to be their father - to replace [him] I wanted to be their friend Defendant Erjan Ibrahim

Mr Ibrahim said at the start of his six-year relationship with the widow there was a bit of friction with her eldest son Stewart.

He said: "Initially Stewart was a bit cautious. He was 15 or 16 and had lost his dad the year before. I never wanted to be their father - to replace Graham, I wanted to be their friend.

"There were rows - every family or couple have their rows. You are still going to have ups and downs but there was nothing serious."

However, he said he would not have made the threats because he wanted to be friends with her children and was "so much in love with [Mrs Wright]".

Mr Ibrahim first met Ms Wright, a youth worker, after meeting her over the internet.

Ms Shannon told the court Mrs Wright, who has reverted to her previous married name, also made up the allegations so she could get hold of the proceeds of the sale of their house.

Mr Ibrahim denies one charge of causing actual bodily harm, two counts of assault by beating and four counts of making threats to kill.

The case continues.