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A Syrian fugitive who tried to murder a man with a pick axe during a parking row was found living in a British council house and claiming £2,000 a month in benefits, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Mohamad Agha, 51, was wanted in Romania to serve a four-year jail sentence for attempted murder and was funded by the British taxpayer for much of his time evading justice, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

The court heard how Agha rowed with a driver after he parked near his home in Bucium, Romania, before striking him in the head with a pick axe handle.

Galea Andrei Calin was left unconscious after the attack on August 26, 2020 and suffered traumatic injuries that required 25 days of hospital care, a judge was told.

Agha was charged with attempted murder and attended the trial but skipped the last two hearings before heading to the UK. He was convicted in his absence and sentenced to four years in a Romanian jail.

The fugitive challenged his Romanian conviction while living in the UK but failed in March 2023 and was made the subject of a European Arrest Warrant.

The magistrates' court heard that after leaving Syria, Agha spent time in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Romania, where he met his current wife in 2017.

He said he came to the UK with his wife in 2018 and that the couple, who married here in 2020, divided their time between Britain and Romania. They have two daughters, now aged four and two, both born in the UK.

Mohamad Agha, 51, was wanted in Romania to serve a four-year jail sentence for attempted murder and was funded by the British taxpayer for much of his time evading justice

During the full extradition hearing on October 29, Agha told the court he had been granted five years' leave to remain in the UK by the Home Office.

However, the court was not told when the permission was granted, on what basis it had been approved, or when it was due to expire.

The controversial five-year leave to remain route is open to some asylum seekers as well as spouses of citizens of the European Economic Area, including Romania.

During this period, individuals are permitted to work and can later apply for permanent residence.

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.

Agha was not arrested by the National Crime Agency's extradition unit until April 10, 2025, following a Europe-wide hunt to trace him.

The subsequent extradition fight dragged on for 15 months, with Agha only being returned to Romania after the High Court refused him permission to appeal last month.

Agha told the court he previously worked as a lorry driver in Newport while living in Cardiff but suffered a back injury after slipping on ice in 2023 and subsequently began claiming disability benefits.

His wife, Ramona, 44, told the court: 'We decided to come to the UK so we could have a better life for our future children. I didn't have a good life in Romania. It's hard to make a living there, so we decided to move to the UK.

'Mohammed was a lorry driver. I do not have a job. I was a carer for Mohammed after he had an accident where he slipped on some ice. I think this happened in 2023. He injured his back very badly.

'We barely make do on universal credit. We get between £1,600 and £2,000. We are struggling financially. Before Mohammed went to prison, he was classified as disabled and was receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP). He received about £500 every month.'

Agha being escorted by police after he was forcibly returned to Romania

Agha, who has a stepdaughter and another daughter in Romania, said he did not attend the final criminal court hearing because he 'did not feel the judge was being fair'.

He argued that he should not be extradited on human rights grounds because of the impact it would have on his wife and children.

District Judge John Zani wrote in his judgment: 'Until his arrest and remand by this court, he had been living with his wife and their two young children in council accommodation.

'They are said to be a close family and both the requested person (RP) and his wife express concerns about the adverse effect that extradition will have on them all.

'The wife is said to be struggling financially and emotionally since he has been remanded in custody.

'Ramona says that she receives between £1,600 and £2,000 per month by way of UK state benefits. This is not an insubstantial amount.

'In my opinion, the criminal conduct set out in the arrest warrant is very serious.

'It is appreciated that there will be hardship caused to the RP and to his wife and their children. However, as counsel will be aware, that of itself is not sufficient to prevent an order for extradition from being made.'

The court confirmed that Agha was extradited to Romania on July 30.