SABIR HUSSAIN JAILED FOR CHILD ASSAULTS AT KEIGHLEY MOSQUE

In November 2011, a disturbing case involving child abuse at a religious setting in Keighley captured public attention and led to the conviction of Sabir Hussain, a 60-year-old man known within the local community. Hussain, who served as a religious teacher at the Markazi Jamia Mosque in Keighley, was found guilty of assaulting young boys during their religious studies, specifically while they were learning the Koran.

His arrest followed the broadcast of covertly filmed footage on Channel 4’s investigative program, Dispatches, which revealed the disturbing behavior. The footage, aired in February, showed Hussain engaging in physical assaults against boys aged between 10 and 13. The clips depicted him walking behind a group of boys seated at prayer tables and kicking one of them in the back, an act that shocked viewers and prompted a police investigation.

During the court proceedings at Bradford magistrates, Hussain, who resides on Spencer Street in Keighley, admitted to four charges of assault. The court was presented with the video evidence, which clearly showed the children flinching and recoiling from Hussain’s aggressive actions. District Judge Sue Bouch expressed her concern over the footage, noting that the children appeared to be fearful, which indicated a breach of trust and abuse of his position of responsibility within the mosque community.

Despite character references describing Hussain as “firm but fair” and a “pillar of the community,” the judge emphasized the seriousness of his actions. She stated, “It can be clearly seen on the footage that the children are flinching away from you. That suggests to me, Mr Hussain, that the children were fearful. She added: ‘You were in a position of responsibility. This is a gross breach of trust.’”

Hussain’s defense, represented by Shufgat Khan, argued that he was volunteering at the mosque at the time of the incidents, which occurred on December 7 and December 13 of the previous year. Khan described Hussain’s actions as chastisement rather than abuse, acknowledging that the force used was unreasonable but asserting that it was not gratuitous or malicious. He emphasized that Hussain’s record prior to these events was unblemished.

West Yorkshire Police, supported by the Markazi Jamia Mosque, Keighley Muslim Association, and Bradford Council for Mosques, led the investigation. Authorities questioned why the production company responsible for the covert filming did not report the assaults sooner, raising concerns about delayed intervention. In a joint statement, senior officers and representatives from Bradford’s Children Services expressed their disappointment, stating that earlier reporting could have prevented some of the assaults and allowed for quicker protective measures for children in religious settings.

Following his conviction, Hussain immediately lodged an appeal against his sentence. However, his application for bail was denied, and he remains in custody pending further legal proceedings. The case has sparked ongoing discussions about safeguarding children within faith communities and the importance of timely intervention to prevent abuse.