UPDATED: Mum of Shafilea Ahmed witnessed husband beating his daughter (From Warrington Guardian)

UPDATED: Mum of Shafilea Ahmed witnessed husband beating his daughter

5:58pm Monday 9th July 2012 in News

FARZANA Ahmed has accused husband Iftikhar of threatening to kill his other children if she revealed the truth of what happened the night Shafilea was allegedly murdered.

In a dramatic twist to the long running murder trial Farzana today changed her story at Chester Crown Court.

She now claims to have witnessed Iftikhar brutally beating his daughter at the family's Liverpool Road home on September 11, 2003 and that she lied because she was in fear of him. Proceedings were extended as the revised defence statement was read out at 4.45pm. In it the 49-year-old continues to deny murder and claims that she and daughter Mevish tried to stop the attack.

Prosecuting, Henry Riding said: "The accused (Farzana) attempted to intervene and was told to shut up and go away.

"The accused then tried to protect the deceased. She was also punched and pushed away. "The only other children present was her daughter Mevish who also tried to intervene.

"The accused pushed her out the way for her own safety. "The accused took Mevish upstairs.

"She heard a car leaving 20 minutes later."

Farzana claims Iftikhar then returned at 6.30am and she asked where Shafilea was.

He said: "If you care for your dear life and that of your children don't you ever ask me this question again," said Mr Riding.

The court heard that when challenged again days later Iftikhar said: "I've already told you once before I don't know where she is and I've also told you not to ask me this question.

"I will do the same to my other children and the same to you."

In February this year Farzana submitted a defence statement claiming that there had been no violence on the evening of Shafilea's disappearance and that she did not know her daughter was missing until the next morning.

Legal arguments will now take place tomorrow with the defence case due to begin on Wednesday. Iftikhar, aged 52, denies murder.