Mark Crook (left), his daughter Melissa and her toddler son Noah were killed in a house fire

by Dan Bloom

A young mum left her husband five months before he allegedly murdered her - because he punched her after “pestering her for sex”, the court heard.

Melissa Crook called police over a domestic violence dispute at Danai Muhammadi’s Coventry home last March 31.

The next morning she left him and moved back into the family home in Chatham Hill, Chatham, taking their son Noah with her.

Muhammadi, with two others, denies squirting petrol through the letterbox of 210 Chatham Hill last September 10. A ferocious fire killed Melissa, Noah and Melissa’s father Mark, 49.

She told police Muhammadi, 24, (pictured left) came up to bed at 11.30pm, where “for about half an hour he was pestering me for sex and I didn’t want to. It started an argument.

“During the argument Danai became really angry. He sat up in bed and spat in my face.

“I was disgusted and my reaction was to spit back at him.

“After spitting at him Danai punched me to the head. I swung back, I don’t know if the punch connected or not. Danai then punched me a further four or five times.”

Then just 19, the former Upbury Manor School pupil had a swollen lump and a scratch on her neck.

Her mother Amanda picked her up the next morning with her and Noah’s clothes in black sacks.

Melissa told police: “Now our relationship is over. Although I do still love Danai, my son comes first and I can’t accept this kind of behaviour in front of him.”

She added: “Throughout most of our relationship Danai has made all the decisions and I have allowed him to. Since our son was born, though, I have stood up to him more and more.”

Muhammadi was given a police caution and took an anger management course.

The court heard poignant messages from Melissa’s Facebook page, where she listed herself as divorced.

Floral tributes outside the blaze-hit house in Chatham Hill

Her “about me” section said: “My fairy tale didn’t work, but second time lucky hey?”

She was apparently getting over the pain of the relationship, writing “it’s time to sort out my life... no more moping around.”

Amanda Crook, 50, said her daughter had “raided her wardrobe” and asked for interview tips for a new job in Chatham just hours before she died.

Melissa’s last status, 15 hours before the fire, said: “Melissa is a very happy bunny. Hope my interview goes well on Monday.”

Muhammadi, of Britannia Street, Coventry, denies three murders and two attempted murders along with his girlfriend Emma Smith, 21, of Barley Lea, Coventry, and nightclub bouncer Farhad Mahmud, 35, of Fernhill Road, Maidstone.

Muhammadi is due to give evidence tomorrow.

The trial continues.