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| 'Slavery' mother-in-law is jailed | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A 63-year-old woman who imprisoned her three daughters-in-law, treating them as "slaves and dogs", has been jailed for seven years. | A 63-year-old woman who imprisoned her three daughters-in-law, treating them as "slaves and dogs", has been jailed for seven years. |
| Naseebah Bibi would not let the women - also her nieces - leave the family home in Blackburn, Lancashire, without permission, Preston Crown Court heard. | |
| One victim told police she had been forced to work on an industrial sewing machine day and night for 13 years. | One victim told police she had been forced to work on an industrial sewing machine day and night for 13 years. |
| The women had arranged marriages to Bibi's three sons, their first cousins. | The women had arranged marriages to Bibi's three sons, their first cousins. |
| Bibi, of Pringle Street, had denied falsely imprisoning Nagina Akhtar between 1993 and 2006, Tazeem Akhtar from 2001 to 2003 and Nisbah Akhtar between 2005 and 2007. | Bibi, of Pringle Street, had denied falsely imprisoning Nagina Akhtar between 1993 and 2006, Tazeem Akhtar from 2001 to 2003 and Nisbah Akhtar between 2005 and 2007. |
| It seems to be necessary in the public interest that you should be subject to a long period of supervision... Judge Robert Brown | It seems to be necessary in the public interest that you should be subject to a long period of supervision... Judge Robert Brown |
| But she was convicted at the court on 14 April. | But she was convicted at the court on 14 April. |
| All three women were brought to the UK following arranged marriages to Bibi's three sons but were subjected to beatings and abuse from her after they arrived. | All three women were brought to the UK following arranged marriages to Bibi's three sons but were subjected to beatings and abuse from her after they arrived. |
| Judge Robert Brown, sentencing, said it was evident her victims had suffered physical and psychological trauma and had spent long periods "living in fear". | |
| He ordered that Bibi serve three-and-a-half years in prison before being allowed out on licence, but would then face further monitoring. | He ordered that Bibi serve three-and-a-half years in prison before being allowed out on licence, but would then face further monitoring. |
| He said: "It seems to be necessary in the public interest that you should be subject to a long period of supervision after you are released from prison so that your situation and that in your household can be monitored. | He said: "It seems to be necessary in the public interest that you should be subject to a long period of supervision after you are released from prison so that your situation and that in your household can be monitored. |
| One of Naseebah Bibi's daughter-in-laws recalls her treatment | |
| "At the same time, because of your poor health and in particular your mental health, I shall keep the custodial element of sentence as short as I can, consistent with my duty to punish you, to deter you from further offences and to protect the public." | "At the same time, because of your poor health and in particular your mental health, I shall keep the custodial element of sentence as short as I can, consistent with my duty to punish you, to deter you from further offences and to protect the public." |
| Judge Brown said he would be contacting the immigration authorities about a fourth woman who had been betrothed to one of her sons. | Judge Brown said he would be contacting the immigration authorities about a fourth woman who had been betrothed to one of her sons. |
| The court heard how her daughters-in-law had high expectations of a happy family life in England when they married their first cousins in Pakistan. | |
| But instead they were abused and allowed no contact with the outside world. | |
| Bibi slapped the women across the face or hit them with a brush handle when they disobeyed her or answered back, the court heard. | |
| Judge Brown said he had taken into account the "cultural element" of the case. | |
| "I take into account that in arranging the marriages in the first place you felt obliged to follow the wishes of your own parents concerning arranged marriages," he said. | |
| "But none of these facts can be an excuse for the degree of cruelty and imprisonment to which the three victims were subjected." |