A Rotherham-based peer, Nazir Ahmed, yesterday appeared at Sheffield Crown Court. It was due to be the start of his trial. However, the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC, said the trial could not go ahead due to Ahmed’s QC being ill. The full trial was rescheduled for July 13. Ahmed, who is 61, is accused of a sexual assault against a boy under the age of 11 and the indecent assault of the same boy. In addition to this, he is also charged with two counts of attempting to rape a girl who was under the age of 16.
All of the incidents are alleged to have taken place in the early 1970s. Ahmed has pleaded not guilty to all counts. Ahmed was made a life peer in the Lords by Tony Blair in 1998. The peer appeared under his name Nazir Ahmed along with two of his brothers. Mohammed Farouq, 68, of Rotherham, is charged with four counts of indecent assault against a boy. Mohammed Tariq, 63, also of Rotherham, is charged with two counts of indecent assault against a boy under 11.
All three brothers including Ahmed were given bail. Due to the illness, a further hearing in the case is scheduled for April 14 before the full trial during the summer. Ahmed has made regular appearances in the media, where he was often called on to comment on issues facing British Muslims. Ahmed has had several scrapes with the law. Ahmed was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison for causing death by dangerous driving in 2008. However, was freed following an appeal when his conviction was reduced to dangerous driving.
After just 16 days in prison, the sentence was suspended for 12 months. Ahmed has falsely told the media subsequently that the conviction was overturned. This is not true. In addition to this, Ahmed told the Times in 2013 that he felt there was a Jewish conspiracy involved in his driving conviction. The same year he resigned from the Labour Party.
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Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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