Convicted official claims demos are vendetta

Mosque protests after volunteer assaulted child, 8

PROTESTS have been staged outside a Birmingham mosque after one of its leading lights was convicted of physically assaulting an eightyear-old child.

Parents are furious that Saddique Hussain is still acting as a volunteer at Central Jamia Ghamkol mosque in Small Heath. And they are demanding the Islamic education building is re-opened.

The Ghamkol Sharif Education Centre, where the incident took place, was closed on April 1 after 53-year-old Hussain’s arrest.

This week Hussain victim of a vendetta.

And he insisted the education centre’s closure had nothing to do with his arrest, claiming its doors were closed after he uncovered failings in proce

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Hussain, who stepped down as a mosque trustee, said he will challenge his conviction.

Despite his comments, more than 50 demonstrators gathered outside the mosque demanding action. A protest was also held in September and a petition has been raised.

They are angry Central Jamia Ghamkol top brass have supported Hussain and threatened to ban some individuals who have spearheaded the protest.

Following a trial at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on November 28, Hussain was found guilty of assault by beating, fined £180 and ordered to pay £450 costs and compensation to his victim.

It is understood Hussain, a former policy and procedure lead trustee at the education centre, grabbed his victim while attempting to break up a fight. The incident was followed by the closure of the centre, which provided religious education and day out activities to around 300 children.

One parent, who asked to be referred to as Kam, said: “He is still working at the mosque and there is an attempt to silence people who want him out. They have sent out letters warning of bans and continue to deny he has done anything wrong.

“After Hussain’s arrest, he was interviewed on a news channel and said he’d done nothing wrong. People are angry. It now needs to come into the public light as a week has passed and some are still saying he did nothing wrong because he didn’t receive a jail sentence.”

A fellow worshipper, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “There seems to be an attempt to sweep this under the carpet, which, in this day and age, is something you cannot do.

“The correct course of action should’ve been to remove him from the education centre, not close it.”

Hussain said he had contacted solicitors over social media slurs on his character. Those comments, he says, accuse him of much graver offences than the matter dealt with by magistrates.

He will, he says, battle to overturn the guilty verdict delivered at magistrates court. “I will challenge the decision in the Crown Court,” he said.

“At the time I was a trustee, I’ve stepped down as a trustee.

“I have never been in the dock before. The trustees – some of whom were witnesses at the trial – accept the judgement, obviously, but they are supportive.

“This thing has affected me and my family. Initially, my family were confused. My character has been destroyed, to a degree. Absolutely, this is a vendetta by certain individuals, absolute false information has been posted about me and I am taking legal steps over that. A group of individuals are trying to take over.”

Hussain said he was paying the price for ruffling feathers over his insistence the education centre was run by the rule book.