Potter star family in court over beating

A Harry Potter star was beaten, called a "slag" and threatened with death by her father and brother after she met a young man who was not a Muslim, a court heard yesterday.

Victim Afshan Azad, 22, played Padma Patil, a classmate of the teenage wizard.

She was assaulted and branded a "prostitute" after meeting a young Hindu man, a relationship which brought anger from her father, Abul Azad, 53, and brother, Ashraf, 28, Manchester Crown Court heard.

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The frightened actress later fled through her bedroom window after threats were made to kill her.

But despite attempts to get her to come to court for their trial, Miss Azad would not attend voluntarily, the court was told.

Both men were charged with making threats to kill her and her brother was also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm on his sister.

However, the prosecution decided to accept a guilty plea of assault by her brother, and both men were formally found not guilty of making threats to kill.

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Her father accepted to be bound over to keep the peace for 12 months.

Miss Azad's character first appeared as the identical twin sister of Parvati Patil, in Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire. She also starred in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, the final film.

Richard Vardon QC, prosecuting, told the court: "The incident took place on Saturday 21st of May at the home address of the family on Beresford Road in Longsight, Manchester."

He said she was assaulted by her brother because of her association with a Hindu. He said: "Specifically she spoke not only of assault but also threats to kill, made jointly by her father and brother."

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The father was woken by his son shouting: "Sort out your daughter! She's a slag!

"He continued to further assault her, in disputed Bengali, shouting, 'Just kill her!"

Reading from the victim's statement, Mr Vardon added: "My father began saying he would do it, a reference to kill her, as he did not want his sons to have her blood on their hands and he would do time for it. "

She went to the police after fleeing her home through a bedroom window. She alleged she was going to be forced into an arranged marriage.

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However, after going to police she "made it plain" to officers and lawyers that she did not want any action taken against her family, or the arrest of her father or brother otherwise it would put her in "genuine danger."

She later made "retraction statements" and reiterated her lack of willingness to support any prosecution.

She also "put a gloss" on her father's words by saying his heavy Bengali accent meant she was not sure what he had said.

Her brother pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on May 1 and will be sentenced next month. Her father "emphatically" denied any wrong-doing.

His son was bailed on condition he does not contact his sister and does not travel to London.