An 'embittered' father-of-three who attacked his wife's lover in Andover on Valentine's Day will not have his jail term extended.

Ahmad Hamshou stabbed Yeyra Sharaf with a 22 centimetre long blade on February 14, 2020 at his home, after he saw the 29-year-old having coffee and shopping with his estranged wife in the town centre.

He was sentenced to eight years in prison last year, but the case was referred to the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

The scheme, run by the Attorney General's Office, allows members of the public to apply to have a Crown Court sentence reviewed if they believe it to be unduly lenient.

But Alex Chalk QC MP, Solicitor General, decided not to refer the case to the Court of Appeal because "the threshold is a high one".

In a statement, a spokesperson said: “After careful consideration the Solicitor General has concluded that he could not refer this case to the Court of Appeal.

"A referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme to the Court of Appeal can only be made if a sentence is not just lenient but unduly so, such that the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range of sentences reasonably available in the circumstances of the offence.

"The threshold is a high one, and the test was not met in this case.”

It means his jail term will not be lengthened.

Hamshou, of Acre Court, Andover, attacked 29-year-old Sharaf with a kitchen knife, in an attack described as “a shocking outburst of serious violence” by Judge Keith Cutler.

Sentencing him in July 2020, Judge Cutler told the 51-year-old that “you were not drugged or drunk, you wanted revenge. You saw him as someone who had ruined your life, and wanted to ruin his.”

He had admitted charges of wounding with intent and being in possession of a knife in public.

The court heard that Hamshou and his wife, Nisrine Sawtel, had arrived in the UK from Syria in 2018 having previously sought refuge in Lebanon.

Shortly after their arrival, though, Ms Sawtel “realised she no longer wanted to be with him,” according to the prosecution.

She began living in her own flat in the same building as her husband – with whom the couple’s children continued living – when she struck up a friendship with Mr Sharaf, 29.

Mr Sharaf denied that the pair were in a relationship, but Ms Sawtel later indicated that he had asked her to marry him once her divorce was finalised.

“Plainly there was something more than just a friendship there,” said Rob Welling, prosecuting.

The court heard that Hamshou had made a threat to harm Mr Sharaf in November 2019, an incident that was reported to the police.

Then on February 14, this year, he saw his wife and Mr Sharaf shopping and having a coffee together in Andover town centre.

“Ms Sawtel described him as smiling and shaking his head, and she was anxious as to what may happen,” said Mr Welling.

Later that day, just after 1pm, Hamshou went to Mr Sharaf's house where he used the 22cm-long blade to attack his victim, leaving him with “life-threatening” injuries.

Neighbours heard “screaming” and the sound of fighting from next door, with passers-by detaining Hamshou until police arrived.

Several police cars and the air ambulance responded to the attack, with Beale’s Close subsequently cordoned off for a number of hours.

The court heard that Hamshou had shown “genuine remorse” for his actions and that he had been suffering from depression at the time of the incident.

“He accepts that his emotions got the better of him and he acted in anger,” said Mr Bloomer, mitigating, who also highlighted the difficult situation Hamshou had found himself in.

“As a refugee, having gone through terrible things at home, coming to this country and doing his best to assimilate and finding himself in the situation where he was the sole carer of his children - it doesn’t excuse the conduct but it does begin to explain it.”