http://freethinker.co.uk/2010/02/11/imam-accused-of-child-sex-offences/THE imam of a Stoke-on-Trent mosque appeared in court this week accused of committing serious sexual offences against two young boys.
Mohammed Hanif Khan, 41, is a leader at the Capper Street Mosque, in Tunstall. According to this report, he appeared on Tuesday before North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Fenton, accused of five offences – the attempted rape and sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy in Meir last year, and a further three counts of rape of a boy under the age of 13 last year in Tunstall.
Prior to outlining the prosecution case to the magistrates, prosecutor Paul Moore said:
This is a very sensitive case. He is an imam at the Capper Street, Mosque, in Tunstall. He commands enormous power and respect in the community. Not only is he a figure of respect in this area, but he is a figure of respect outside this area because of his teachings.
Moore asked the court to remand the defendant, who gave his address as Bardsley Close, Ellesmere Port, in custody.
Emma Wiseman, defending, told the magistrates that the allegations against her client were denied.
She said Khan had been on bail for some considerable time while the matters had been investigated.
Miss Wiseman said the defendant had co-operated with the police and complied with bail conditions.
The hearing lasted for 35 minutes and Khan was remanded in custody to appear at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court for a preliminary hearing there on February 15. The court’s decision to hold Khan in custody infuriated family members and supporters. They planned an immediate protest, but called it off when police agreed to meet one of the the organisers.
They now plan to stage a peaceful protest outside Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday, when Khan will appear for a preliminary hearing. Khan’s brother Mohammed Idris Iqbal, aged 49, from Sheffield, said:
Everyone will be outside protesting on Monday.
Among those upset that Khan was remanded in custody was his cousin Saj Iqbal of Newcastle upon Tyne. He had organised a march from the mosque to Tunstall police station, but called it off when Sergeant Deborah Losh agreed to meet him at the station.
Mohammed Irshad, another of Khan’s cousins, aged 37, from Sheffield, said:
This doesn’t just affect his reputation, but the whole family. He has been all over the world teaching children and we don’t think he is a bad person.
According to his website, Khan became the first ever full-time Islamic Minister in the history of the British prison service in 2001.
He further progressed in introducing and setting up religious initiatives by becoming the first Muslim and non-Christian multi-faith co-ordinator of the British prison service in 2003.
In 2004 he visited Buckingham Palace to receive a Butlers’ Trust Award from Princess Anne for his work in multi-faith and diversity.
He is patron and founder of Hizb ur Rasool (HUR), a charity dealing with youth issues and the propagation of Islam.
In 2008, the imam was among a group of business and community leaders drawn together to transform politics in Stoke-on-Trent.
He was appointed to the Governance Transition Board, a body tasked with making radical changes to the way the city is run.
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