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thomas davison

Muslim woman allowed to wear full-face veil in court
A JUDGE sparked fury yesterday by allowing a Muslim woman to appear in the dock with her identity shielded by a full-face veil.
By: Cyril Dixon
Published: Fri, September 13, 2013

A-defendant-was-allowed-to-enter-a-plea-in-court-while-wearing-a-burka-FILE-PIC- A defendant was allowed to enter a plea in court while wearing a burka (FILE PIC)

The 21-year-old defendant had previously been told by Judge Peter Murphy that her case could not go ahead with her face covered.

The woman � who cannot be named for legal reasons � was allowed to enter a plea with only her eyes visible behind a face covering known as a niqab.

She was allowed to confirm her identity by lifting her veil in front of a female police officer in a side room of Blackfriars Crown Court in London.

Judge Murphy feared an imposter could take her place or a jury might not be able to decide her innocence or guilt with her features shrouded. But he reluctantly gave his permission, so the court could �move on�.

Last night Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering, said: �The public would be staggered that anybody should be allowed to appear in court with their face covered.�

Mr Hollobone, who is trying to ban face coverings in public, added: �For justice to be seen to be done, you have to be able to see who a person is.�

The defendant, an East London woman accused of intimidating a witness in a different case, was ordered last month to remove the veil. When she refused, Judge Murphy adjourned the case for three weeks.

amanda burch swimAmanda Burch was told to remove a vest she was wearing over a swimming costume while pregnant

For justice to be seen to be done, you have to be able to see who a person is

Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering

Yesterday, prosecutor Kate Wilkinson suggested a female official could confirm the woman�s identity.

Judge Murphy agreed and said: �I�m content to admit that procedure for today, so that we can move on.�

After the woman had entered a �not guilty plea�, defence counsel Susan Meek argued that her client�s right to wear the burka and the niqab were protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. The trial is expected to resume in November.

Meanwhile, a leisure centre has been criticised for forcing a heavily-pregnant swimmer to remove a vest she was wearing over her swimming costume, while other women were allowed to cover up on religious grounds.

Amanda Burch was left �humiliated and embarrassed� when told to remove the top for health and safety reasons, even though two Asian women were wearing tops and full leggings.

Yesterday, Miss Burch, 41, a former lifeguard, from Havant, Hants, hit out at the managers of the Pyramids Centre, Southsea. �I wouldn�t have worn the top if I wasn�t pregnant,� she said.

Gary Milne, head of the leisure centre, last night apologised to Miss Burch and said an investigation had been launched

Yet another case of a self-opinionated, vocal, and intolerant minority getting their own way! A letter to my MP, and to Keith Starmer (CPS) in now in order. I'll ask for confirmation that as a native, Christian, Anglo-Saxon, I can cover my face AT ALL TIMES if I wish : in public, in private or in Court, and will NOT be arrested or charged or denied service in a Bank or shop for so doing.. And if not, why not? What's "Sauce for the (muslim) goose is sauce for the (Christian) gander"", is good old English, and that saying is not in the Q'ran I bet!

From now on all BRITS are to wear full face viking helmets and carry swords as it is part of your religion