Teachers accused of beating boy 'for not reading the Koran properly' at Birmingham mosque

Two men have denied cruelty towards three children and are to stand trial

The alleged abuse happened at the Jamia Mosque in Sparkbrook, Birmingham (Google Streetview)

Two Islamic teachers have been accused of beating children during lessons at a mosque in Birmingham.

Mohammed Waqar, 23, and Mohammed Siddique, 60, have been charged with child cruelty after allegedly hitting pupils at the Jamia Mosque, in Sparkbrook.

The men, both of Olton Boulevard West in Tyseley, were arrested in June last year and later charged with assault or ill treatment “to cause unnecessary suffering” to three children under the age of 16.

They are accused of repeatedly slapping one of the victims, a 10-year-old boy, when he made mistakes in religious studies, including failing to read the Koran properly, the Birmingham Mail reported.

Siddique and Waqar are due to stand trial at Birmingham Crown Court in August, where they pleaded not guilty at a hearing earlier this month.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: “They were arrested at Stechford Police Station on 14 June 2014 in connection with allegations made on 11 June 2014 of assault against three children at Jamia Mosque, Anderton Road, Sparkbrook.”