‘Virginity test’ parents walk free from court

AN Iranian couple accused of marching their daughter to a GP for a ‘virginity test’ walked free from court yesterday.

Ali Safaraei, 56, and Mitra Eidiani, 42, wept as they were acquitted of all serious charges after five months in custody on remand.

The couple had been accused of controlling or coercive behaviour for allegedly trying to make their daughter Sophia, 18, have an intimate examination because it was ‘important’ to them as Muslims.

They also faced claims that they threatened to kill Sophia and her boyfriend Bailey Marshall-Telfer, 18, over their secret relationship.

It was exposed after Mrs Eidiani unexpectedly returned to her family home in Clapham, south west London, in May.

She was further accused of assaulting her daughter by biting her in a rage.

The acquittals are a blow for Metropolitan Police detectives and prosecutors behind the highly unusual case.

The offence of controlling or coercive behaviour was introduced less than two years ago and is a major plank of the Government’s strategy to tackle violence against women and girls.

The couple could have faced up to five years in prison.

The jury heard a family GP refused to examine Sophia after she was marched to her surgery by her angry parents.

Mr Marshall-Telfer told the court the couple came to the branch of Sports Direct where he and Sophia worked, allegedly telling him they were ‘dangerous’ because of their religion.

But the couple insisted their actions were misunderstood, that they were liberal Muslims and that the row had ‘destroyed’ their family.

Mr Safaraei wept as he told the court he had tried to keep his daughter away from ‘danger, bad friends and social media’ but ‘unfortunately failed’.

He said he feared his daughter had been raped and took her to the GP for a ‘check’ and that the words ‘virginity test’ were put to him by police.

Mrs Eidiani said she believed her daughter would be ‘proud’ to prove her virginity and was ‘alarmed’ at her refusal.

She described how she was particularly concerned after finding the teenage boy apparently zipping up his trousers.

The primary school teaching assistant received the only criminal conviction from the case for smashing Mr MarshallTelfer’s headphones. She was handed a six-month conditional discharge and told to pay £20 compensation.