{"id":335007,"date":"2017-07-09T16:43:55","date_gmt":"2017-07-09T16:43:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=335007"},"modified":"2017-07-09T16:43:55","modified_gmt":"2017-07-09T16:43:55","slug":"imam-who-sexually-abused-primary-school-girls-during-quran-lessons-jailed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/07\/imam-who-sexually-abused-primary-school-girls-during-quran-lessons-jailed\/","title":{"rendered":"Imam who sexually abused primary school girls during Quran lessons jailed"},"content":{"rendered":"
An Imam who sexually abused primary school children during Quran lessons at a mosque has been jailed.<\/p>\n
Mohammed Haji Saddique, 81, sexually touched the girls in front of his class and slapped students repeatedly if they made mistakes during lessons.<\/p>\n
Cardiff Crown Court heard how Saddique had metal and wooden sticks, which he used to poke the children as they studied.<\/p>\n
Saddique of Cyncoed, Cardiff, \u00a0was born in Hong Kong and moved to Pakistan before coming to the UK in 1967.<\/p>\n
He was a member of the Madina Mosque and was involved in running it, including as a treasurer and teaching Quran studies to primary school pupils.<\/p>\n
Classes took place four times per week after school and the court heard how pupils referred to the imam as \u2018Uncle Saddique\u2019 as a mark of respect.<\/p>\n
Saddique would touch the girls under their traditional loose-fitting clothing during his lessons, and rub them against his groin and leg.<\/p>\n
Sentencing him to 13 years in prison,\u00a0Judge Stephen Hopkins QC said: \u2018You would attempt to maintain discipline and concentration by tapping or slapping the child sitting next to you who didn\u2019t read correctly.<\/p>\n
\u2018Every time one of these small children made a mistake you would slap them until they got it right and slap them for every mistake they made.\u2019<\/p>\n
Police first launched an investigation in 2006 following complaints by two girls, but Saddique denied any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n