judge orders the burkha off | Vital Football

judge orders the burkha off

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A judge told a Muslim woman she must remove her burkha in court before she can enter a plea after she refused to reveal her face.

Judge Peter Murphy said the principle of open justice overrode the 21-year-old woman's religious beliefs, and warned there was a risk a different person could go into the dock pretending to be her.

The woman, from Hackney, east London, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared before Blackfriars Crown Court today charged with intimidating a witness.

She said she cannot remove the veil in front of men because of her religious beliefs.

Judge Murphy told her: ‘It is necessary for this court to be satisfied that they can recognise the defendant.

‘While I obviously respect the right to dress in any way she wishes, certainly while outside the court, the interests of justice are paramount.

‘I can’t, as a circuit judge, accept a plea from a person whose identity I am unable to ascertain.’

He added: ‘It would be easy for someone on a later occasion to appear and claim to be the defendant.

‘The court would have no way to check on that.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2400844/Judge-orders-Muslim-woman-remove-burkha-court-appearance-bans-entering-plea-refuses.html#ixzz2cnKdSbIr

cannot agree with the judge more, can this be the start of a new law of banning in public like the french do?
 
the irony behind the defence is religious beliefs .... so what about the beliefs if found guilty? maybe she call allah as a witness to explain why she needs to be covered up?
 
So now we are going to have to spend £1,000s on a hearing to determine whether it's legal or not, when all it takes is a WPC to take her into a room and confirm her identity.

Madness.
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 23/8/2013 15:01

So now we are going to have to spend £1,000s on a hearing to determine whether it's legal or not, when all it takes is a WPC to take her into a room and confirm her identity.

Madness.

as far as i know its an open court heath, so presume has to be judged by the people of the realm, in other words a jury.
 
There are times when I think 'we' (society or authority I suppose I mean) can be awfully petty about things that really don't matter.

However, in this case, whether it should be in open court or you make a concession and allow her to remove the burkha in private, it is totally right that she should have been asked/ordered to take it off.

I don't think you need to take the 'when in Rome' too far, but it has got its place, this is one of them.
 
I was once ordered to take my socks off during sex though, I had to explain I'm an Englishman and that was a step too far. :22:
 
The Fear - 23/8/2013 18:01

I was once ordered to take my socks off during sex though, I had to explain I'm an Englishman and that was a step too far. :22:


Was this in open court?
 
I think you should have stood your ground there Fear. Having a sock over your todger during the hours of darkness is quite acceptable.