Fugitive Syrian migrant who fled Romania for UK after attack on man with pick axe handle got £2K a month benefits while on run in council home

A FUGITIVE Syrian migrant who fled Romania after a savage attack on a man with a pick axe handle was receiving up to £2,000 in benefits a month while living on the run in council accommodation before he was caught, it can be revealed.

Globetrotting Mohamad Agha, 51, (above in Romanian Police wanted image) 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 the victim Galea Andrei Calin, after he parked by his home, before striking him in the head with a pick axe handle, which left him lying unconscious in the street in Bucium, Romania, at about 9pm on August 26 2020.

The victim suffered traumatic lesions and required 25 days of hospital care, the court heard.

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 practising Muslim appealed the Romanian conviction through a lawyer, while living over here, but was unsuccessful in March 2023, before the European Arrest Warrant was issued.

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

He said he came to the UK with his wife in 2018 and the couple, who married here in 2020, spent time between both countries, having two girls, now aged four and two born here.

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

Although it was not said how he managed to get this, when it was first granted or was due to expire.

The controversial five years leave to remain system is open to asylum seekers, but also spouses of citizens of the European Economic Area, including Romania.

During this time the person can work and after it expires they are able to apply for permanent residence.

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.

He was not arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) extradition unit until April 10 2025 following a manhunt across Europe.

The subsequent extradition battle dragged on for 15 months, with Agha only being extradited after the High Court refused to grant him permission to appeal last month<July26>

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 some ice in 2023 and went on disability benefits.

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

He argued he should no be extradited on human rights grounds due to the impact on his wife and children.

District Judge John Zani wrote in his judgement: "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 Agha was extradited to Romania on July 30.