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Religious leader Ghulam Mustapha Hazarvi
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Savage attack on boy by Imam
Adam Derbyshire28/11/2007
AN Imam attacked an 11-year-old boy with a mop stick after he began talking during a Muslim teaching lesson.
Religious leader Ghulam Mustapha Hazarvi dragged the youngster into the corner of the room and savagely beat him with the baton, a court heard.
The boy suffered "horrific" bruising on his buttocks following the assault at the Newton Street mosque, off Penny Meadow, Ashton.
Forty children go to the mosque every evening from 4.30pm to 6.30pm to learn the Koran.
During the lesson, the boy’s friend leant over and asked him to help with a word he couldn’t understand. The innocent chatter sent Hazarvi into a rage.
Prosecutor Jon Savage said: "He took exception and grabbed the victim by the collar, dragging him into the corner. He hit him with the stick on his buttocks several times.
"After the lesson on 22 May, the boy went home and kept quiet but his brother confessed to their father what had happened, telling him to show the bruising. It was so severe, the youngster even found it uncomfortable to sit down."
The father was so upset he took his son round to confront the Imam. Hazarvi showed no remorse and told him he had "disciplined" and "punished" the boy for speaking in class.
The following morning, the dad spoke to staff at his son’s primary school in Ashton. The teachers were so horrified by the injuries they took photographs and urged him to contact police.
Concerned about the impact it would have culturally, he wrestled with his emotions until 2 June when he finally contacted detectives.
Three days later, police arrested the 42-year-old preacher at his home and took him in for questioning. He was later charged.
Appearing before Bolton Crown Court on Thursday, Hazarvi, of St Albans Avenue, Ashton admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.
Hazarvi arrived in Britain seven years ago. Married with four children, it is believed the highly-educated Imam can recite the Koran word for word.
Defending, Saul Brody said: "He is a well-respected community leader who has made a positive contribution to the Muslim community.
"By virtue of his behaviour he accepts, and feels keenly, the shame he’s brought upon himself.
"It was an unpleasant incident, committed out of frustration — but he should have controlled himself.
"There is no excuse for assaulting a child in his care and he does not seek to rely on any cultural justification for his actions."
After learning Hazarvi remained in place at the mosque, Judge Brian Appleby QC told him: "If this was a school you would be out of a job however in actual fact the community have stood by you.
"The boy was in your care and you were his teacher. You have not put forward the cultural excuse that you were able to reprimand the child in this way. Under English law you cannot.
"The offence does cross the custody threshold but given your previous good character, I feel unpaid work will be a humiliating experience and therefore a greater punishment."
"I hear deportation papers have been served on you as a result but I think that would be quite wrong for those steps to be taken."
Hazarvi was sentenced to a 12-month community order with six months supervision and ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work.
Most recent 2 of 4 user comments
9/12/2007 at 17:32
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Why is that we people give so much deference to religion? It is time that it was subject to the same sort of criticism that we give to our politicians.
12/12/2007 at 17:20