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| Shafilea Ahmed death: Sister stands by her parents | Shafilea Ahmed death: Sister stands by her parents |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| One of Shafilea Ahmed's sisters has told a jury that her parents played no part in the teenager's death. | One of Shafilea Ahmed's sisters has told a jury that her parents played no part in the teenager's death. |
| Mevish Ahmed, 21, was giving evidence in the trial of Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed at Chester Crown Court. | Mevish Ahmed, 21, was giving evidence in the trial of Iftikhar and Farzana Ahmed at Chester Crown Court. |
| The couple deny murdering Shafilea, 17, at their home in Liverpool Road, Warrington, in September 2003. | The couple deny murdering Shafilea, 17, at their home in Liverpool Road, Warrington, in September 2003. |
| Ms Ahmed said she stood by the statements she made to police in December 2003, when Shafilea was missing. | Ms Ahmed said she stood by the statements she made to police in December 2003, when Shafilea was missing. |
| She was cross-examined by Tom Bayliss QC, who is defending her 52-year-old taxi driver father. | She was cross-examined by Tom Bayliss QC, who is defending her 52-year-old taxi driver father. |
| He said: "The police officer asked you, 'did you think your mum and dad were involved in Shafilea's disappearance and could they be involved in any way? | He said: "The police officer asked you, 'did you think your mum and dad were involved in Shafilea's disappearance and could they be involved in any way? |
| "The 12-year-old you said no, what does the 21-year-old you say?" | "The 12-year-old you said no, what does the 21-year-old you say?" |
| Miss Ahmed replied: "No, still." | Miss Ahmed replied: "No, still." |
| 'Out of context' | 'Out of context' |
| Shafilea's body was found on the bank of the River Kent in Cumbria in February 2004. | Shafilea's body was found on the bank of the River Kent in Cumbria in February 2004. |
| Another sister, Alesha, 23, earlier told Chester Crown Court their parents suffocated Shafilea in front of the other children. | Another sister, Alesha, 23, earlier told Chester Crown Court their parents suffocated Shafilea in front of the other children. |
| She said she heard her mother say, "Just finish it here" in Urdu as they forced a plastic bag into the teenager's mouth. | She said she heard her mother say, "Just finish it here" in Urdu as they forced a plastic bag into the teenager's mouth. |
| The jury has also seen extracts of writings made by Mevish Ahmed and given to a friend, Shahin Munir, which appeared to corroborate Alesha's accusation. | |
| Mevish Ahmed has said they were "fiction" and had been taken out of context. | Mevish Ahmed has said they were "fiction" and had been taken out of context. |
| Speaking on Wednesday, she said: "I feel like they are being blamed for something they have not done. I couldn't live with myself if, and obviously (the writings) have been taken out of context, they went down for something they didn't do." | |
| Miss Ahmed told the jury that Alesha had known about her writings and their content, and admitted that she should have mentioned them to defence solicitors when Alesha made her accusation and their parents were charged. | |
| She said: "To me it was just my writings. Obviously I know there is some similarity but it was my mistake at the time." | |
| 'Broken promise' | |
| Mevish Ahmed told the court she had received a police caution for theft following a "misunderstanding" in a branch of Debenhams department store. | |
| She also said she and Alesha had been involved in drug dealing in the past, and that, while Alesha never took drugs, she had used cocaine and "happy pills" because she "thought it was cool at the time". | |
| The court later heard evidence from Mevish Ahmed's friend, Shahin Munir. | |
| She said: "The letters that I handed over, which Mev had given to me four years ago, described what had happened on the night her sister had died. | |
| "I promised Mevish four years ago I would never tell anybody and I got upset because I realised I'd broken my promise to her." | |
| When asked by Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting, why she decided to break that promise, she replied: "I knew deep down it was the right thing to do and I felt that for me, just to sit there and watch this happen and not say anything would make me just as bad, and that's how I felt." | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |