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-hereford-worcester-19420696
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Worcester City Councillor Allah Ditta admits grave dig threat | Worcester City Councillor Allah Ditta admits grave dig threat |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A former Worcester mayor has admitted threatening to dig up a man's body if his family did not pay for the burial. | A former Worcester mayor has admitted threatening to dig up a man's body if his family did not pay for the burial. |
Councillor Allah Ditta, who manages the private Muslim cemetery in Perdiswell in the city, made the threat >in a conversation with the deceased's son and secretly recorded on his phone. | |
Mr Ditta said the words were in "the heat of the moment" and he had no intention of carrying out the threat. | Mr Ditta said the words were in "the heat of the moment" and he had no intention of carrying out the threat. |
He said a family member had since agreed to pay the £400 bill. | He said a family member had since agreed to pay the £400 bill. |
Ruhal Hussein said he was trying to pay respects to his dead father when he was approached by a "berserk" Mr Ditta. | Ruhal Hussein said he was trying to pay respects to his dead father when he was approached by a "berserk" Mr Ditta. |
"No human being should be shouting and screaming like this at the front of a graveyard," he said. | "No human being should be shouting and screaming like this at the front of a graveyard," he said. |
Mr Hussein said he was "disgusted and upset" by the experience. | Mr Hussein said he was "disgusted and upset" by the experience. |
'Something for nothing' | 'Something for nothing' |
When asked by the BBC if he told Mr Hussein that he would "dig up" his father's body, Mr Ditta admitted making the threat. | When asked by the BBC if he told Mr Hussein that he would "dig up" his father's body, Mr Ditta admitted making the threat. |
Mr Ditta said: "In hindsight, no I probably wouldn't use those words, but certainly I wouldn't back away from the fact somebody's got to pay. | Mr Ditta said: "In hindsight, no I probably wouldn't use those words, but certainly I wouldn't back away from the fact somebody's got to pay. |
"Crude as it sounds, you can't have something for nothing." | "Crude as it sounds, you can't have something for nothing." |
Mr Ditta said the man had been buried six to eight weeks ago and disputes over unpaid bills were rare. | Mr Ditta said the man had been buried six to eight weeks ago and disputes over unpaid bills were rare. |
The Conservative councillor, who has managed the cemetery for the past 30 years, said it had been run largely on a "matchstick and voluntary basis". | The Conservative councillor, who has managed the cemetery for the past 30 years, said it had been run largely on a "matchstick and voluntary basis". |
He said he planned to urge the three local mosques that it serves to pay for legal services to resolve similar disputes in the future. | He said he planned to urge the three local mosques that it serves to pay for legal services to resolve similar disputes in the future. |