18 months for mosque leader who tried to silence wife’s exorcism claims
A mosque leader whose sons died fighting for Al-Qaeda has been jailed for 18 months for trying to stop his wife giving evidence about a home exorcism.
Abubaker Deghayes, 50, was charged with assaulting Einas Abulsayen, who claimed he rammed her face into the carpet and pushed his fingers up her nose in an attempt to remove the jinns or evil spirits from her body.
After she reported him to the police Deghayes went to her brother’s house on November 27 and tried to speak to her but was prevented by the relative.
He told the brother: ‘Tell Einas to leave the country for a few months so the police drop the case’.
Deyhayes was cleared of the exorcism assault, but jailed for trying to prevent his wife giving evidence.
Sentencing him for witness intimidation, Judge Raj Shetty told him: ‘I do not have any sympathy for him at all.
‘Your were on bail at the time from the Magistrates’ Court. Your wife was staying at her brother’s house on 27 November 2017.
‘You had found out that fact through your mother who had called up that evening and had deduced that was where she was.
‘You turned up at about 10:30 in the evening. You spoke to the complainant’s brother. You asked him to get his sister to drop the case because it would be embarrassing as it would end up in the newspapers.
‘You are an arrogant individual. You have absolutely refused to stand everyday. You attempted to persuade you wife to drop the case through your brother.
‘You did this because you have no respect of a police investigation which was going to be heard at court.’
Deghayes’ sons Jaffar Deghayes, 17, and Abdullah, 18, died in Syria in 2014 while fighting alongside Jabhat al-Nusr brigades affiliated with Al Quaedi.
By then Ms Abulsayen had left her husband in 2010 but the two remained in contact with Deghayes visiting her and his remaining children twice a week.
He had run the al-Quds mosque in Brighton and was cleared of punching a worshiper over a dispute about parking in March this year.
His rose to prominence when he appeared in court and refused to stand up because of his religious beliefs.
The father of six had one daughter who sought his permission to marry but was refused it sparking a bitter show-down, it was claimed.
Bridget Todd, prosecuting, said: ‘The defendant and the complainant had been married for some time and in 2010 they separated.
‘They have a number of children and they live in Brighton. On 15 May of last year she at her home address. The defendant attended her flat that evening and she let him in.
‘She said there came a point were she was sitting on the sofa of her living room when the defendant attacked.
‘He got on top of her and pushed her on the floor. She was facing down with her face on the carpet. He got on top of her placing his knees on her back. He pulled her left arm and back and she felt immense pain.
‘He got up and left the incident having lasted some 30 minutes. She was in immense pain. She felt the need to call an ambulance. She was taken to hospital. She did not say it was her husband who assaulted her.
‘She said it was the result of a fall. It was found her left shoulder was dislocated.
‘A number of months later on 14 October 2017 the defendant again went to her flat- this time she did not let him in. This time she called the police. When they arrived they saw him outside.
‘She spoke to them and it was then that she complained that she had been assaulted by him.’
Giving evidence over video-link she told jurors: ‘When my husband came to see me he was very upset with me. He was thinking that maybe I was possessed.
He was telling me that I was possessed and he started talking to the “jinn” that he thought I was possessed with.
‘He was sitting down on the floor. We were both sitting on the floor. He may have pulled me down to the floor and as a result of the his action I may have fallen on the floor.
‘I do not like conflict so I did not resist. He was talking to me when we were sitting on the sofa- he was talking to the jinn telling him to “get out” “get out” and I was telling him there was no jinn.’
Deghayes insisted that he had not even been at his wife’s flat at the time of the alleged assault and they still had an intimate relationship sending eachother flowers, hearts and
kisses over the phone.
Defending himself Deghayes said: ‘I believe what every Muslim has to believe- in angels and demons because they are in the Quran. But I have no personal experience of people dealing with jinns.’
Deghayes denied one charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was cleared by a majority verdict after three hours and 37 minutes.
Deghayes of, Arundel Drive East, Saltdean, Brighton, was jailed for 18 months for attempted witness intimidation.
ends
MEMO: NOT PUBLICATION-NO MENTION OF HIS TWO SONS BEING KILLED FOR IS IN SYRIA IN 2014 BUT TRIAL IS OVER SO CANNOT BE AN ISSUE
Prosecutor: Bridget Todd
Defence: Tom Copeland
Judge: Rajeev Shetty
MEMO ENDS
