Police must investigate ‘Mosque abuse’ cases - MP

ALLEGATIONS of physical abuse against Muslim children in mosques and religious schools, such as that highlighted in Yorkshire in a TV documentary, should be referred to police, the Government has said.

By The Newsroom

Published 17th Feb 2011, 14:39 BST

Leader of the House of Commons Sir George Young told MPs a documentary exposing beatings of youngsters should be probed by police.

He was responding to Keighley Conservative Kris Hopkins MP who raised this week’s Channel 4 Dispatches programme which used undercover filming to expose the mistreatment of youngsters at madrassas and mosques by Muslim elders.

Mr Hopkins added: “It showed several children from my constituency being kicked and beaten in a mosque.”

He asked for a ministerial statement addressing “how we are going to protect children who attend mosques and madrassas, but also how we support members of the community who are afraid to come forward to offer a complaint to police”.

Answering questions on future Government business, Sir George told MPs: “It would be appropriate to refer to the police any allegations of abuse or harm to children.”

He urged Mr Hopkins to alert school inspections body Ofsted over his fears.