Judge rules on girl placed with Muslims

A five-year-old girl placed in the foster care of two Muslim households has been reunited with her family. A court has ruled that the child, who was placed with a carer who allegedly wears a burka, could live with her grandmother. Tower Hamlets council in London had faced criticism after reports suggested a foster carer removed the girl’s Christian cross and suggested she learn Arabic. A judge said it would be in the child’s best interests to live with family who could meet her needs “in terms of ethnicity, culture and religion”.

A MUSLIM convert accused of breaching an Asbo by preaching sharia law outside a shop in Oxford Street in London refused to stand for a judge who told him: “This is not a court of religion.”

Judge Martin Beddoe noticed Mcfarlane, 30, wearing a green and gold robe, did not stand when he entered the courtroom at Southwark Crown Court.

Roy Hedlam, defending, said: “Because of his religious belief, he believes there is only one person who he should bow to.”

The judge said: “This isn’t a court of religion, this is a secular court and it expects to be treated with respect.”

Mcfarlane stood up in the dock while the judge spoke, prompting him to say: “He’s very kindly standing up for me because I’m about to go.”

The case was adjourned for two weeks as a witness was unavailable. Mcfarlane, who denies the breach, was granted conditional bail.