A jilted lover ploughed through tables and chairs outside a busy Hampstead caf� as he tried to mow down his estranged wife.

Ibrahim Akyol had been lying in wait outside Caf� Zamazingo in South End Green for his wife of four years to arrive for work.

When the 35-year-old barber spotted her, he revved his engines and charged his car at his wife, his face contorted in rage, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.

The Mercedes mounted the pavement in Fleet Road, scattering tables and chairs and shattering the front window of the caf� where customers were enjoying their breakfast, before striking wife Dezheylan Ismail.

The court heard that Akyol then reversed his car and careered into Ms Ismail for a second time, knocking her to the ground. She was rushed to the nearby Royal Free Hospital for treatment but was lucky to escape serious injury.

Prosecutor William Hughes said: “She saw the defendant driving his vehicle and could see his face was aggressive.

“She had a second or so before the car crashed into the tables outside the restaurant, smashing the front window and knocking her over.”

Ms Ismail, originally from Bulgaria, had called the police moments before the attack at around 10am on March 14 after receiving 89 calls from Akyol, who worked at New Image hair salon in Finchley.

When Akyol tried to flee the scene, staff and customers from the caf� pursued him, with officers also arriving to arrest him.

The pair’s marriage had been on the rocks after an alleged string of violent attacks on Ms Ismail, the court heard.

The couple had separated and their three-year-old son was staying with his mother. But Akyol was desperate to rescue the floundering relationship, resorting to a series of death threats.

On one occasion when he was intoxicated he bundled Ms Ismail, 26, into his car and drove at terrifying speeds, threatening to kill them both if she did not agree to get back together.

Hate text messages

He also sent her a text message claiming he would “cut off her head” if she refused to reconcile their differences.

At the sentencing on Wednesday last week, Judge John Hillen said Akyol was a very “jealous man” who had become “obsessive” and had been lucky not to cause Ms Ismail greater harm.

“What you did that day was a deliberate and planned attempt to do your wife quite serious physical injury using a weapon – a motor vehicle – which could cause really serious physical injury,” he said.

Akyol, of Ingleby Road, Ilford, pleaded guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison and four-and-a-half years on licence. He was also disqualified from driving for five years.