Woman still ‘haunted by imam’s sexual assault’ – court
Awoman is still “haunted” by the sexual assault she claims she suffered as a child while studying the Koran at a Cardiff mosque, a court heard.
Mohammed Sadiq, 81, who taught at the Madina Mosque for more than 30 years, denies 15 counts of indecent and sexual assault and is on trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
Giving evidence on day three, the alleged victim said: “He used to feel my breasts. I hated it – it felt disgusting.”
The allegations involve four complainants and relate to the period between 1996 and 2006.
In an interview with the police, the woman said she was partway through primary school when the incidents occurred.
She said: “He would put his left hand under my clothing and touch my skin. He squeezed my breast so hard, it sort of went numb.”
Opening the case, prosecutor Suzanne Thomas said Sadiq created a culture in class where physical punishment was normal.
The witness said her teacher would hit her if she made a mistake while reading from the Koran in Arabic.
She told the jury: “If I got two words wrong, he would hit me twice. If I got five words wrong, he would hit me five times. He would squeeze my breast as he was doing it.”
Asked how she responded, she replied: “I was just praying it would end. It hurt and I felt really dirty. It still haunts me.”
The complainant said she used to try to make excuses to avoid going to the mosque after school.
She added: “I’d say, ‘Mum, I’m sick today’. I would make excuses. Then I’d try and distract him and find a way to make him stop, but it happened every time.
“All of a sudden, it just came out. I said, ‘Mum, he touches me’. She was shocked.”
The woman told police Sadiq also hit her “really hard” on the fingers with a pen, as well as hitting her to the side of the head.
She added: “He would grab me and put me over his lap.”
Sadiq, from Lake Road East, Cyncoed, denies eight counts of indecent assault and seven of sexual assault.
The trial continues.