Court heard that his victim's life was probably saved by her breast implants

He has now been sentenced to 18 years in prison for the horrific attack

She suffered wounds to abdomen but had baby girl by caesarian section

Babur Karamat Raja, 41, stabbed Natalie Queiroz in the street while she was 36 weeks pregnant

Disguise: Babur Raja was caught on CCTV with a knife in his back pocket shortly before trying to kill a woman in March this year

A businessman who tried to murder his pregnant partner in the street was today jailed for 18 years after a court heard he was 'tipped over the edge' because his mother was angry about him dating a non-Muslim.

Babur Karamat Raja was caught on camera wearing a disguise and carrying a knife in his back pocket moments before he attacked his victim in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.

He stabbed Natalie Queiroz, 40, with a large carving knife in her chest and stomach before trying to slash her throat and wrists.

The court heard that her £5,000 breast implants probably saved her life by getting in the way of the knife.

An hour before the assault Raja, 41, had telephoned Ms Queiroz and arranged to meet her at a bank to transfer some money and asked her what way she would be going into town.

She was attacked as she walked past the car park of Trinity Hill Baptist Church, near the centre of Sutton Coldfield, at 3.15pm on Friday, March 4, and passers-by tried to help.

Five people wrestled him to the ground but he broke free and tried to slash the woman's throat and wrists before he was eventually arrested when one bystander flagged down a passing police patrol car.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Raja had been forced to choose between his conservative Muslim mother and the 'love of his life' Ms Queiroz.

Jane Humphryes QC said in mitigation that this family turmoil 'tipped him over the edge' leading to a temporary mental illness or 'adjustment disorder', leaving him with little memory of what he had done.

She said: 'His mother had not been happy he was in a relationship with a white woman, and told him he must leave her or she would not be in contact.

'This man of impeccable character is driven literally to distraction, forced by his own mother to choose between her and his chosen partner and their unborn baby.'

Couple: Raja tried to kill his partner Natalie Queiroz, right, in March this year

Jail: Raja was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the brutal attack on Ms Queiroz (pictured right, outside court this afternoon)

Prosecuting barrister Benjamin Aina QC described how if Raja had plunged his knife just 2mm further into the abdomen of his victim 'it would have killed the baby'.

The court heard the child was born unharmed and was now doing well.

Sentencing Raja for his 'merciless' assault on Ms Queiroz, Judge Simon Drew QC said: 'Once you chose your mother over your partner and child, you resolved not only to terminate your relationship, but to terminate them.'

He added: 'This was a deliberate, pre-meditated attack designed to kill and destroy your partner and unborn child.'

As well as his 18-year prison term, Raja will have to spend another four years on licence.

Last month he appeared via video link at Birmingham Crown Court where he admitted attempting to murder Ms Queiroz.

He also pleaded guilty to attempted child destruction and possessing a knife in a public place.

Raja denied attempting to murder good Samaritan John Mitchell, 31, but admitted the lesser charge of unlawful wounding.

In a statement read on her behalf outside court, Ms Queiroz said: 'I am unable to find the words to describe how I feel about today and the events of the last 16 weeks, other than I have been left devastated by the attack on March 4'

He also admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Anthony Smith, 69, one of the other men who tackled Raja.

Jane Humphryes QC, defending said: 'He would like to say to the court his sincere apologies to the victim and her baby, and to the people who assisted him.

'He wishes to display his very sincere remorse and perhaps that is displayed by his early guilty pleas.

'He made immediate admissions at the police station through his psychiatrist, and he has pleaded at the first possible opportunity.

'There needs to be a pre-sentence report as to if this needs to be a life imprisonment sentence or a determinate sentence.

The woman was attacked as she walked past the car park of Trinity Hill Baptist Church, near the centre of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands (pictured)

An hour before the attack, Raja had telephoned the woman and arranged to meet her at a bank to transfer some money and asked her what way she would be going into town

'The pre-sentence report should assess the dangerousness and a psychiatric response.

'He is of previous good character, and has only previously been cautioned for an offence of dishonesty.'

The crown did not proceed with a further count of attempted murder against Mr Mitchell, which Raja denied.

Prosecutor Benjamin Aina QC said: 'John Mitchell was one of the brave members of the public who went to the aid of this young lady while she was being attacked.

'While he accepts he came at Mr Mitchell with a knife, his main aim was to kill this woman and he did not accept that he had intended to kill him.

Five people wrestled him to the ground but he broke free and tried to slash the woman's throat and wrists before he was eventually arrested when one flagged down a passing police patrol car

A glove, pictured, and blood stained medical supplies remain on the floor outside the church following Friday's incident

'A plea to unlawfully wounding Mr Mitchell is acceptable in these circumstances.'

In a statement to police the victim said she 'couldn't believe what Bobby was doing.' She told officers how she 'pleaded with him not to kill her'.

VICTIM: 'COMPLETELY UNPROVOKED AND TOTALLY UNEXPECTED' In a statement read on her behalf outside court, Ms Queiroz said: 'I am unable to find the words to describe how I feel about today and the events of the last 16 weeks, other than I have been left devastated by the attack on March 4. 'As far as myself, our families and all our friends were concerned, Bobby and I had an exceptionally happy and loving relationship, living together and looking forward to the birth of our daughter - his first child - a child which he very much wanted right from the start of our relationship. 'The attack he committed on me was completely unprovoked and totally unexpected. 'Luckily I was saved and my baby was born alive. 'My daughter and I continue to recover and with this case thankfully concluded as it should be, we can now clearly focus on this. 'I want to take this opportunity to give my heart-felt thanks and pay tribute to the courageous people who came to the aid of myself and my unborn child along with the West Midlands Police officers who attended the scene, the paramedics, the crew of the Midlands Air Ambulance and the staff at both the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Birmingham Woman's Hospital, without whom my daughter and I would not have survived. 'My attention is now on our recovery and rebuilding my family's future. To this end, I ask you all to please respect our privacy in this continuing difficult and traumatic time.' Advertisement

West Midlands Police revealed Raja was initially tackled by Mr Mitchell and Mr Smith who tried to grab the knife from him.

A police spokesman said: 'They grabbed Raja, wrestling with him to try and get hold of the knife from his hands.

'A third passer-by - a 44-year-old man - then ran over and joined the fight. He described kicking Raja more than 20 times in the head and body in a desperate bid to stop the stabbing.

'Between them they were able to drag him off his girlfriend as an 18-year-old lad then came and grabbed his hoodie to pull him further away, along with his three friends, all aged 16.'

Detective Inspector Ian Ingram, who led the investigation, said: 'This was an utterly brutal and unprovoked attack which was particularly disturbing by virtue of the fact that it happened to a completely innocent woman, in broad daylight, in front of dozens of people.

'If it wasn't for the quick actions and bravery of those members of the public who put their own lives on the line to save the woman and her daughter, this could have ended much differently and may well have been a murder investigation. I truly commend them for what they did that day.

'We still don't understand what drove Babur Raja to commit this dreadful crime but I'm pleased he's saved everyone the ordeal of a full trial by pleading guilty today. My hope now this case has concluded is that everyone who was affected by the attack can put it behind them and move forward with their lives.'

Land Registry records show Raja lived in a £400,000 detached house in Sutton Coldfield,

At a previous hearing, the court heard how the victim believed she was being robbed when she was attacked by Raja who ambushed her from behind.

Prosecutor Shahzad Imam said: 'She left home and was walking down the road when she saw a man walking towards her at pace.

'His arm grabbed her and she thought she was being robbed. She saw a knife come out and was stabbed several times to the chest and fell to the ground.

Ms Queiroz (pictured) was attacked with a large carving knife, stabbed in her chest and stomach before her ex-partner tried to slash her throat and wrists. The court heard that her £5,000 breast implants probably saved her life by getting in the way of the knife

Babur Karamat Raja's £400,000 detached home in Sutton Coldfield

'She saw her attacker was wearing a hooded top. She staggered down the road and he tried to slash her throat. She remembers the police attending and him being arrested.

'Several eye witnesses say they saw a man attacking a woman.

'One man, Mr Mitchell, tried to intervene and grab the knife but he was stabbed to the hand and the defendant tried to stab him several times to the abdomen while members of the public called for help.

'Another person (Anthony Smith) suffered injury as well.

'The defendant was arrested and the victim was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition where she was given an induced birth.'