This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-37757485
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Abused woman 'failed' as imam Hifiz Rahman flees | Abused woman 'failed' as imam Hifiz Rahman flees |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A woman who was abused as a child by an imam said she has been "failed by the justice system" after he was able to flee the country before being jailed. | A woman who was abused as a child by an imam said she has been "failed by the justice system" after he was able to flee the country before being jailed. |
| Hifiz Rahman, 58, absconded after being convicted of sexually assaulting two girls at Queens Cross mosque in the West Midlands. | Hifiz Rahman, 58, absconded after being convicted of sexually assaulting two girls at Queens Cross mosque in the West Midlands. |
| One said she was "angry and frustrated" he was able to leave the UK. | One said she was "angry and frustrated" he was able to leave the UK. |
| West Midlands Police said it was "making urgent enquiries to try and arrange his return". | West Midlands Police said it was "making urgent enquiries to try and arrange his return". |
| More updates from Birmingham and the Black Country | More updates from Birmingham and the Black Country |
| The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was seven when the abuse began at the Cradley Heath mosque in the 1980s. | The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was seven when the abuse began at the Cradley Heath mosque in the 1980s. |
| She said she felt she had been failed. | She said she felt she had been failed. |
| "It was a victory for me when he was found guilty. I was like, 'Yes this is it. He will go down for what he has done', and then he disappears. | "It was a victory for me when he was found guilty. I was like, 'Yes this is it. He will go down for what he has done', and then he disappears. |
| "I'm so angry, so angry, frustrated. I've gone through so much to get to this point. | "I'm so angry, so angry, frustrated. I've gone through so much to get to this point. |
| "Someone has to be blamed. Somebody needs to come forward and take responsibility for what they've done." | "Someone has to be blamed. Somebody needs to come forward and take responsibility for what they've done." |
| The woman was targeted by Rahman from an early stage, and he would single her out for abuse. | The woman was targeted by Rahman from an early stage, and he would single her out for abuse. |
| Rahman started by shaking her hand and tickling the inside of her palm, and eventually moved on to touching her elsewhere. | Rahman started by shaking her hand and tickling the inside of her palm, and eventually moved on to touching her elsewhere. |
| On one occasion, she said she threatened to tell her father about the abuse. | On one occasion, she said she threatened to tell her father about the abuse. |
| But Rahman responded by ringing the father and inviting himself round to the family's home for dinner. | But Rahman responded by ringing the father and inviting himself round to the family's home for dinner. |
| "Everybody respected him," she said. | "Everybody respected him," she said. |
| "They thought he was god... that's how we are taught: that he is the imam and you do as you are told." | "They thought he was god... that's how we are taught: that he is the imam and you do as you are told." |
| Rahman, from Ballard Road, Netherton, did not attend the end of his trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court after claiming he was too ill. | Rahman, from Ballard Road, Netherton, did not attend the end of his trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court after claiming he was too ill. |
| West Midlands Police said they believed he boarded a flight to Bangladesh. | West Midlands Police said they believed he boarded a flight to Bangladesh. |
| No warrant or remand was issued after his guilty verdict, it said. | No warrant or remand was issued after his guilty verdict, it said. |
| "An 'all ports warning' information report was placed onto the Police National Computer advising that officers should be notified if he made any attempt to try and leave the country." | "An 'all ports warning' information report was placed onto the Police National Computer advising that officers should be notified if he made any attempt to try and leave the country." |
| A spokesman for the judiciary said: "Whether or not to grant bail is a decision of the courts to make in accordance with the Bail Act 1976. The Act provides for a general presumption that bail will be granted in all cases, except in specific circumstances. | |
| "In this case the judge heard arguments in court about whether bail should be granted and Mr Rahman was subject to conditional bail." |