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| Shafilea Ahmed's sister denies lying to frame her parents for murder | Shafilea Ahmed's sister denies lying to frame her parents for murder |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The sister of Shafilea Ahmed, whose parents are on trial for murder, has denied lying to frame her parents for her sister's death. | The sister of Shafilea Ahmed, whose parents are on trial for murder, has denied lying to frame her parents for her sister's death. |
| Alesha Ahmed, who is now 23, was cross-examined by Tom Bayliss QC, who is defending her father. Her parents, Iftikhar Ahmed, 52, and Farzana Ahmed, 49, from Warrington, Cheshire, deny murdering Shafilea, 17, at the family home in September 2003. | Alesha Ahmed, who is now 23, was cross-examined by Tom Bayliss QC, who is defending her father. Her parents, Iftikhar Ahmed, 52, and Farzana Ahmed, 49, from Warrington, Cheshire, deny murdering Shafilea, 17, at the family home in September 2003. |
| Alesha Ahmed has previously told Chester crown court that she witnessed her parents jointly holding down her sister and forcing a carrier bag into her mouth following an argument with her mother about western clothing. | |
| The 23-year-old admitted that she had previously lied to police and that she had staged a robbery at the family's house in August 2010. She has pleaded guilty to robbery and will be sentenced at a later date. | The 23-year-old admitted that she had previously lied to police and that she had staged a robbery at the family's house in August 2010. She has pleaded guilty to robbery and will be sentenced at a later date. |
| Bayliss asked her whether, following the robbery, "you had a conversion to telling the truth?" She replied: "Yes." | Bayliss asked her whether, following the robbery, "you had a conversion to telling the truth?" She replied: "Yes." |
| "You spoke out about Shafilea's murder because you'd been caught red-handed for the robbery?" he asked. "That's not why I told," she said. | "You spoke out about Shafilea's murder because you'd been caught red-handed for the robbery?" he asked. "That's not why I told," she said. |
| Bayliss suggested that, during the police interview, when Alesha was arrested for staging the robbery: "You played your trump card didn't you? And decided to tell the police it was your parents who killed your sister. And you say your mum and dad set it up to frame you." | Bayliss suggested that, during the police interview, when Alesha was arrested for staging the robbery: "You played your trump card didn't you? And decided to tell the police it was your parents who killed your sister. And you say your mum and dad set it up to frame you." |
| She replied: "Yes." When asked if that was a lie, she also said: "Yes." | She replied: "Yes." When asked if that was a lie, she also said: "Yes." |
| Bayliss said: "You, Alesha Ahmed, tell lies to get yourself out of trouble. You tell lies about your family." Referring to the robbery, she said: "On that occasion, yes." She admitted at the time telling her father that she needed money, "but I didn't tell him why." | Bayliss said: "You, Alesha Ahmed, tell lies to get yourself out of trouble. You tell lies about your family." Referring to the robbery, she said: "On that occasion, yes." She admitted at the time telling her father that she needed money, "but I didn't tell him why." |
| Repeatedly questioned about the identity of the robbers, and telling Bayliss "I don't know who they are," she said she did not know who they were at the time but "later came to find out they were from Birmingham". | Repeatedly questioned about the identity of the robbers, and telling Bayliss "I don't know who they are," she said she did not know who they were at the time but "later came to find out they were from Birmingham". |
| Ahmed told the court she had been "open and honest" about her part in the robbery and had pleaded guilty. But Bayliss said: "The next day during the [police] interview you lied continuously didn't you?" She replied: "Yes." | Ahmed told the court she had been "open and honest" about her part in the robbery and had pleaded guilty. But Bayliss said: "The next day during the [police] interview you lied continuously didn't you?" She replied: "Yes." |
| She admitted removing a sim card from her mobile phone after the robbery, snapping it in half and flushing it down a toilet. | She admitted removing a sim card from her mobile phone after the robbery, snapping it in half and flushing it down a toilet. |
| The court had heard that Ahmed's parents did not want Shafilea to return to Great Sankey high school because they disapproved of her friends there. But Bayliss suggested there was no pressure from their parents for Shafilea not to go back to that school, and that the reason was "because [Shafilea] didn't want to be put back a year". | The court had heard that Ahmed's parents did not want Shafilea to return to Great Sankey high school because they disapproved of her friends there. But Bayliss suggested there was no pressure from their parents for Shafilea not to go back to that school, and that the reason was "because [Shafilea] didn't want to be put back a year". |
| Alesha Ahmed replied: "No. At the time I was basically covering up everything my parents had done. | Alesha Ahmed replied: "No. At the time I was basically covering up everything my parents had done. |
| "I felt torn," she said, sobbing. "I've got my sister on one side who's dead. And my parents whom I care about." | "I felt torn," she said, sobbing. "I've got my sister on one side who's dead. And my parents whom I care about." |
| Bayliss said the reason she felt "torn" was "because you are not telling the truth." She replied: "No, I feel torn because they are my parents." | Bayliss said the reason she felt "torn" was "because you are not telling the truth." She replied: "No, I feel torn because they are my parents." |
| Earlier, speaking of the robbery, Ahmed said: "Even now I can't make sense of how it came about and who was truly involved in the robbery." | Earlier, speaking of the robbery, Ahmed said: "Even now I can't make sense of how it came about and who was truly involved in the robbery." |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |