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| Man sentenced over Shia flogging | Man sentenced over Shia flogging |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A devout Shia Muslim has been given a suspended prison sentence for forcing two boys to beat themselves during a religious ceremony. | A devout Shia Muslim has been given a suspended prison sentence for forcing two boys to beat themselves during a religious ceremony. |
| A jury at Manchester Crown Court found Syed Mustafa Zaidi, 44, guilty of two counts of child cruelty last month. | A jury at Manchester Crown Court found Syed Mustafa Zaidi, 44, guilty of two counts of child cruelty last month. |
| The boys, aged 13 and 15, were forced to beat themselves with a zanjeer whip, with five curved blades. | The boys, aged 13 and 15, were forced to beat themselves with a zanjeer whip, with five curved blades. |
| Zaidi, of Station Road, Eccles, was given a 26-week sentence, suspended for 12 months. | Zaidi, of Station Road, Eccles, was given a 26-week sentence, suspended for 12 months. |
| He was also prohibited from allowing or encouraging anyone under the age of 16 to beat themselves during the next 12 months. | He was also prohibited from allowing or encouraging anyone under the age of 16 to beat themselves during the next 12 months. |
| Judge Robert Atherton, at Manchester Crown Court, said: "I reject the suggestion that they were forced to participate, although I consider it likely that the fervour of events is also likely to have affected their wish to participate."The boys both suffered cuts from the zanjeer | |
| The boys both received multiple lacerations to their backs, mainly superficial, with several deeper cuts caused by the bladed whip. | |
| Zaidi also flogged himself during the Ashura ceremony in January this year. | Zaidi also flogged himself during the Ashura ceremony in January this year. |
| He admitted he allowed the boys to use the bladed whip, but denied his actions were wrong, saying: "This is a part of our religion." | |
| The case was unprecedented - the first of its kind to be prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service in England and Wales. |