TWO ISLAMIC teachers who pleaded guilty to beating one of their young students at the Jamia Mosque in Sparkbrook as punishment for reciting the Koran incorrectly, have each been today sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.
Birmingham Crown Court heard how Mohammed Siddique, aged 60 and Mohammed Waqar, 23, both from Tyseley, Birmingham, were arrested by the police after an allegation was made by a 10-year-old boy of being repeatedly slapped and hit by various objects by teacher at the Islamic centre.
In a previous incident, the victim had informed his mother that he had been hit by Siddique, and she approached the teacher who admitted hitting the boy, but assured the mother that the victim would be moved into another class.
However, a few months later, the child returned home in a state of distress and the victim’s mother saw some bruising on the boy’s body, which he said had been caused by the defendants hitting him with sticks and brushes. It was this which led to the mother then referring the matter to the police.
When arrested, both men denied the allegations.
On August 10, 2014, they both pleaded guilty to cruelty to a person under 16 years.
Kerry Moreton, Senior Crown Prosecutor from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service said: “Parents were sending their young children to this centre as they had trust in the teachers not only to educate their children, but more importantly, to ensure that they were treated with respect and appropriately cared for.
“Mohammed Siddique and Mohammed Waqar breached this trust and subjected their students to fear and intimation.
“This culminated in a 10-year-old student being slapped and then having various sticks and brushes, which were kept as weapons for the sole purpose of inflicting pain on the students, used to beat him.
“We would like to take this opportunity of praising the young victim and his family who assisted the prosecution team in bringing these two offenders to justice.
“It takes courage to report matters like this, but it is important that victims understand that it is vital that they speak out and be ready to pursue the matter to trial if need be, in order for a stop to be put to these abuses.”
