UK Imam sentenced to 13-years in prison for sexually assaulting girls

An 81-year-old man by the name of Mohammad Haji Saddique, has been convicted and jailed for 13 years after he sexually harassed four young girls while he was teaching the Holy Quran to them in a mosque.

According to the details of the incident provided, Saddique had been an imam at Madina Mosque in Cardiff for more than 30 years and the incidents of assault took place between 199 and 2006.

According to the court reports, the imam would call students to sit next to him during Holy Quran and classes and would sexually touch the girls and also slap his students repeatedly if they made mistakes while reciting the Holy Quran. Saddique would also discovered having metal and wooden sticks which he would use in order to beat the students during lessons.

The imam has been convicted of 14 offences during his 30 years at the mosque and these offenses include six indecent assaults and eight sexual assaults.

Judge Stephen Hopkins sent Saddique for 13 years and ordered him to register as a sex offender. “All four complainants were very brave indeed in overcoming not only personal but cultural barriers which they faced in making formal complaints and giving evidence against you,” the judge said.

“There is a darker, deviant side to you which this trial has exposed. This was a gross breach of trust – parents sending their young, female children to be taught the Holy Quran by you.”

During the trial, Saddique maintained that he was innocent and that the allegations against him were a conspiracy by other members of the mosque.

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Posted by fatimaarshad on Jul 10 2017. Filed under Latest News, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.