Imam beat boy with mop

An Imam who beat an 11-year-old boy with a mop handle for talking during a lesson at a mosque has been convicted of assault.Religious leader Guhlam Mustapha Hazarvi, 42, dragged the frightened boy into the corner of a classroom and beat him.The boy suffered `horrific' bruising following the assault at the Newton Street mosque, off Penny Meadow, Ashton-under-Lyne. Forty children go to the mosque every evening from 4.30pm to 6.30pm to study the Koran. During a lesson in May, the boy's friend leant over and asked him to help with a word he couldn't understand. The innocent chatter sent Hazarvi into a rage. Jon Savage, prosecuting, said: "He took exception and grabbed the boy by the collar, dragging him into the corner. He hit him with the stick several times. "After the lesson, the boy went home and kept quiet but his brother confessed to their father what had happened.Severe bruising "The boy showed him the bruising. It was so severe, the youngster even found it uncomfortable to sit down." The boy's father was so upset he took him round to confront the Imam. Hazarvi showed no remorse and told him he had `disciplined' and `punished' the boy for speaking in class. The following morning, the boy's father spoke to staff at his son's primary school in Ashton. Teachers were so horrified by the injuries they took photographs and urged him to contact police. Concerned about the impact on his community, the boy's father wrestled with his conscience until June 2 when he finally contacted detectives. Three days later, police arrested the Imam at his home in St Albans Avenue, Ashton under Lyne. He was taken in for questioning and later charged. Hazarvi admitted assault causing actual bodily harm at Bolton Crown Court.Married with four children, Hazarvi arrived in Britain seven years ago. The highly-educated imam can reportedly recite the Koran word for word. In mitigation Saul Brody said: "He is a well respected community leader who has made a positive contribution to the Muslim community. "He accepts, and feels keenly, the shame he's brought upon himself.Frustration "It was an unpleasant incident, committed out of frustration - but he should have controlled himself. "There is no excuse for assaulting a child in his care and he does not seek to rely on any cultural justification for his actions." After learning Hazarvi had remained in place at the mosque, Judge Brian Appleby told him: "If this was a school you would be out of a job, however, in actual fact, the community have stood by you. "The boy was in your care and you were his teacher. You have not put forward the cultural excuse that you were able to reprimand the child in this way. Under English law you cannot."The judge said that Hazarvi could be jailed for the offence but decided to sentence him to a 12-month community order with six months supervision and ordered him to carry out 80 hours unpaid work.Judge Appleby said: "Given your previous good character, I feel unpaid work will be a humiliating experience and therefore a greater punishment. "I hear deportation papers have been served on you as a result but I think that would be quite wrong for those steps to be taken." Manchester Evening News