Coventry imam arrested over mosque child abuse claims

Mosque is 'co-operating fully' with West Midlands Police



An imam at a Coventry mosque has been arrested over allegations of child abuse.

The 45-year-old, who is based at the Islamic Brotherhood Coventry, at the Noorul Islam Jamia Mosque in Eagle Street, was detained by police on suspicion of wilfully ill-treating a child.

Hen was arrested last week after CCTV footage was provided to them which allegedly shows the imam striking a child.

A spokesman for the mosque said they are co-operating fully with West Midlands Police.

The imam has been bailed with conditions to stay away from children as the investigation continues.

Shabbir Ahmed, treasurer and spokesman for the executive management committee of Islamic Brotherhood Coventry, said: “We are aware that police are investigating an alleged incident.

“Police had the CCTV footage and are pursuing their inquiries, and the imam is on police bail.

"We and the imam are fully co-operating with the police investigation or any concerns they have about the incident.

“Police may have concerns but we did not receive any complaints thus far from parents or the children.”

A statement from West Midlands Police said: “A 45-year-old man from Foleshill has been arrested on suspicion of wilfully ill-treating a child under the age of 16.

“He has been bailed pending further inquiries until a date in January with strict conditions not to have any contact with children under the age of 18.”

Coventry mosque leader stabbed child with pen and beat other youngsters

A religious leader at a Coventry mosque beat children aged as young as nine - including stabbing one with a pen.

Mohammed Karamat will learn his fate later this week after admitting four counts of assault.

The 45-year-old, an imam at the Noorul Islam Jamia Mosque in Eagle Street, was seen on camera abusing the children.

Magistrates watched footage of Karamat twisting a child’s arm, slapping a child, and using a pen to stab a child and pricking a child’s hand with the lid of a pen.

John Bartlett, prosecuting, told the court: “The CCTV here is a key bit of evidence.

“Just to give you a flavour of the snippets, the first video shows a twisting of the arm, and there is a back-handed motion on one of the children, and there is also signs of a pen used to stab a nine-year-old a number of times.

“It appears the child is in pain and pulls back to prevent being stabbed.

“One clip shows him grabbing a child round the back of the neck, pushing the neck towards the table.

“He is also seen slapping a child to the back of the head.”

Karamat pleaded guilty to the four counts of assault by beating but sentencing was adjourned for the preparation of reports.

He was released on conditional bail and told to appear before magistrates on Thursday.

Under the bail conditions, Karamat must not come into contact with any child under the age of 18 unless supervised by another adult.

Karamat was originally arrested in December by West Midlands Police .

Speaking after the allegations came to light, Shabbir Ahmed, spokesman for the executive management committee of Coventry’s Islamic Brotherhood, told the Telegraph: “Police may have concerns but we did not receive any complaints thus far from parents or the children.”

I reckon he'll get away lightly

I reckon he'll get away lightly

Yep:

Coventry religious leader who beat four children is spared jail

A religious leader in Coventry who beat children as young as nine has been spared jail.

Mohammed Karamat attacked four children during a six-day period - slapping one of his young victims and stabbing another with a pen.

His shocking actions which were caught on CCTV saw him twisting a child’s arm and prick another youngster’s hand with the lid of a pen.

Despite admitting four counts of assault by beating, the 45-year-old, of Station Street East, Foleshill, was handed a community order including 100 hours unpaid work.

The sentence was given by Coventry magistrates and also included a restraining order which bans him from contacting three of the victims or their parents.

Karamat was not ordered to pay compensation as the bench of magistrates did not feel it was “appropriate”, however he was ordered to pay £135 court costs and a £85 victim surcharge.

Karamat, an imam at the Noorul Islam Jamia Mosque in Eagle Street, entered his guilty pleas at an earlier hearing last week.

Now if that had been me....

It's this set of double standards that cause trouble!

How come he gets away with it yet if we did this to our children the social services would step in and child removed and done for it or if a teacher had done this they would loose their job and likley done for assualt.

As I say Melisandre, double standards. - And as much as anything this is what causes problems. All most people want is a level playing field! The judiciary really need to get their act in order.

I have to agree with you there Rebbonk