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| Girl was 'strangled or smothered' | Girl was 'strangled or smothered' |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A Warrington schoolgirl whose decomposed body was found next to a Cumbrian river was either smothered or strangled, an inquest has heard. | A Warrington schoolgirl whose decomposed body was found next to a Cumbrian river was either smothered or strangled, an inquest has heard. |
| Pathologist Dr Alison Armour told the inquest in Kendal it was "not credible" that Shafilea Ahmed, 17, of Liverpool Road, died of natural causes. | Pathologist Dr Alison Armour told the inquest in Kendal it was "not credible" that Shafilea Ahmed, 17, of Liverpool Road, died of natural causes. |
| Police arrested and bailed at least seven members of her family after her teachers reported her missing in 2003. | |
| The teenager disappeared from her home four months after a trip to Pakistan. | The teenager disappeared from her home four months after a trip to Pakistan. |
| As the hearing at Kendal Town Hall opened her father Iftikhar Ahmed said he was "surprised" when she went missing. | As the hearing at Kendal Town Hall opened her father Iftikhar Ahmed said he was "surprised" when she went missing. |
| She was a very normal child, very bright Iftikhar Ahmed, father | |
| He revealed "problems arose" when she started her sixth form education. | He revealed "problems arose" when she started her sixth form education. |
| Police launched a murder inquiry after Shafilea's body was found near the River Kent at Sedgwick, near Kendal, in February 2004. | Police launched a murder inquiry after Shafilea's body was found near the River Kent at Sedgwick, near Kendal, in February 2004. |
| She was last seen in September 2003 at the Warrington home she shared with her parents, three sisters and younger brother. | She was last seen in September 2003 at the Warrington home she shared with her parents, three sisters and younger brother. |
| Mr Ahmed told south Cumbria coroner Ian Smith: "She was a very normal child, very bright." | Mr Ahmed told south Cumbria coroner Ian Smith: "She was a very normal child, very bright." |
| 'No pressure' | |
| He said his daughter did not explain why she was leaving home, and it was a surprise when she went missing. | He said his daughter did not explain why she was leaving home, and it was a surprise when she went missing. |
| Shafilea had ambitions to become a solicitor and he had encouraged her and was proud of her achievements, the hearing was told. | Shafilea had ambitions to become a solicitor and he had encouraged her and was proud of her achievements, the hearing was told. |
| Supt Geraint Jones of Cheshire Police said he established there had been a telephone call in the summer of 2002 between Mr Ahmed and a relative in Pakistan in which the question of marriage was raised. | |
| He told the inquest Mr Ahmed had said Shafilea was too young at that stage for marriage. | |
| Mr Smith asked: "Did you ascertain whether she had been informed about the call over a possible arranged marriage?" | |
| Mr Jones replied: "It was discussed in the family who said there was no pressure and it was a matter for Shafilea." | |
| Relatives arrested | |
| When she went missing in February 2003 there was evidence of pre-planning in her decision to leave home, Mr Jones said. | |
| He added there was a record of her stating she was "running away because she was in fear of being married". | |
| Shafilea also confided in others that she was subject to domestic abuse, that she had drunk a "caustic substance" and self harmed, the inquest heard. | |
| No-one has been charged with the teenager's murder and her parents, who offered a £5,000 reward to catch her killer, have always maintained they had nothing to do with her death. | No-one has been charged with the teenager's murder and her parents, who offered a £5,000 reward to catch her killer, have always maintained they had nothing to do with her death. |
| Mr Ahmed and his wife, Farzana, were arrested on suspicion of her kidnap in December 2003 and later released on police bail. | Mr Ahmed and his wife, Farzana, were arrested on suspicion of her kidnap in December 2003 and later released on police bail. |
| Five other relatives from the Bradford area, where Shafilea was born, were also arrested and released on police bail. | Five other relatives from the Bradford area, where Shafilea was born, were also arrested and released on police bail. |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |