East London 'exorcism' attack family pair jailed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19993795

Version 0 of 1.

Two family members have been jailed for attacking a close female relative during an attempted exorcism.

Asma Hussain, 50, was subjected to an assault by her son Mohammed Kayes Hussain and son-in-law, Muhammed Aziz, because they thought she was possessed.

Mohammed Kayes Hussain, 28, of Wapping, east London, was jailed for one year at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Aziz, 21, of Barnsley Street, Bethnal Green, east London, was jailed for nine months.

Mrs Hussain's husband, Ahmed Hussain, who was also found guilty of occasioning actual bodily harm at a trial last month, was spared a prison sentence because he has health problems and requires care from his wife, the court heard.

'Repeatedly struck'

Ahmed Hussain, 60, of Cassilis Road, Poplar, east London, was given a one-year sentence, suspended for two years.

Mrs Hussain was beaten at her home with a stick by a man who was referred to in court as an imam, and suffered extensive bruising to her face, arm and back.

The three family members watched, did nothing to stop the attack, and at some points helped, because they thought she was possessed by the devil, the jury heard.

The imam has never been traced.

Passing sentence, Judge Neil Sanders said: "The facts of this case are disturbing.

"That imam's actions took the form of reading from the Koran and sprinkling her with water.

"However, that progressed to an assault on her over the course of about two hours.

"The imam repeatedly struck her on the back with a walking stick.

"During the course of the attack, Alma Hussain was screaming and it caused a great deal of pain."