Albanian machine-gun killer fighting deportation from Britain to protect his right to a happy life is still here despite beating his wife

A MURDERER fighting deportation on grounds of his right to a happy family life in Britain is caught on film holding a knife to his wife’s throat.

Ardian Rragami, 47, who machine-gunned a man in his native Albania, also punched and spat at terrified Chrysoulla at their Essex home.

His wife said she is living in fear since he attacked her with a knife — and begged: “Please deport him now.”

Rragami, 47, has been fighting deportation for four years — claiming it will break up the loving family he has in Britain with his wife and two daughters.

But he made a mockery of that claim by battering terrified wife Chrysoulla and holding a blade to her throat during a gin-fuelled rampage that was captured on film.

Beautician Chrysoulla, 49, said: “Ardian has used the right to a family life to argue his case against deportation, but he's thrown that away now.

“I stuck by him in the past but until he’s deported it will never stop.”

Rragami, who machine gunned a neighbour to death in Albania after a bar row, has twice sneaked into Britain illegally.

'IT WON'T STOP UNTIL HE'S DEPORTED'

But Home Office efforts to kick him out have been tied up in legal red tape as he claims deportation will breach his human rights by denying him a family life here.

The attack on Chrysoulla, filmed by a horrified niece, took place at the family home last month while decorator Rragami was on immigration bail, wearing a tag and subject to a curfew.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting Chrysoulla by punching her and cutting her jaw with a kitchen knife.

He also admitted assaulting a child.

He had knife at my throat. His face was twisted in hate. I thought I was going to die.

Chrysoulla, machine-gun killer's wife

But he walked free from court after getting an eight month suspended jail sentence.

Had he been jailed for a minimum 12 months he would have been deported automatically.

Chrysoulla said: “I’ve had to move house so he can’t find me.

“Even though I’ve got a restraining order I’m scared.

“He had the knife held right to my throat. His face was twisted with hate as he held it to my throat. I thought I was going to die.”

The leniency shown to Rragami by Basildon Crown Court means he is not only back on the streets but free to continue a legal fight with the Home Office, which is estimated to have cost the taxpayers at least £100,000.

SLASHED BY MACHINE-GUN KILLER

Local Tory MP Mark Francois said: “This is a shocking case, particularly in view of the violence involved.”

Rragami entered Britain illegally in 1998 while on the run for a murder in his home city of Shkoder.

He gave UK officials the fake name Ardian Gashi and claimed to be a refugee from the Kosovo War. He was allowed to stay.

In 2000 the Albanian courts sentenced him to 15 years in his absence.

Two years later he wed Chrysoulla. The couple settled in Wickford, Essex, and had two daughters, now 13 and 15.

He was jailed here for theft in 2007 after stealing cash from parking meters.

RAGING BULLY

But it was only in 2009 that Interpol tracked him down and began extradition proceedings.

He was returned to Albania in 2010 but served just four years after appealing against the length of the sentence.

On his release he sneaked back into Britain in and moved in with Chrysoulla.

He was detained again two years later and began his lengthy battle against deportation.

The Home Office said: “Foreign national offenders who abuse our hospitality by committing crimes have no place in this country.

“They should be in no doubt about our determination to remove them. Since 2010 we have removed nearly 45,800.”

• Rragami’s cousin Gentian Rragami, 44, appeared in the same court as him on the same day before the same judge — on people smuggling charges. He was jailed for ten months.

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