This is so sad after a teenage girl was beaten to de'ath by her own family after
living under a 'regime of fear' in which she was forced to lick the toilet bowl
and eat her own faeces, a court has heard.
Shahena Uddin, 19, who was one of eight siblings, was
'regularly punished' by her brothers and sisters, for 'crimes' such as eating
at the wrong speed.
Punishments would allegedly include being force-fed rice and
paper and being made to stand for long periods staring into a toilet bowl.
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She was even banned from using the toilet at their home in
Watford but would be punished further if she attempted to use the sink, St Albans
Crown Court was told.
But the violence is alleged to have plumbed new depths of
depravity in October last year when she was found beaten to de'ath on her
bathroom floor after choking on her own vomit.
The court heard how, when she was found the following day,
the Bangladeshi teenager had endured 'several beatings' - including with
weapons - and that both sides of her head had been severely attacked.
Ambulance staff, who were called to the house by the family,
were told she was sick and fainted.
But by then, her four brothers, a sister and her two
sisters-in-law had attempted to cover their tracks, the court was told.
Prosecutor Simon Trimmer QC said blood and vomit stains had
been covered up and that Shahena's bloodstained clothing had been put into bin
bags outside.
He said: 'Shahena died at the hands of members of her own
family in her own home. She probably endured several beatings that night.
'This was a troubled family unit held together by internal
discipline of an extreme variety. She had been beaten with weapons during the
previous 24 hours
Suhail Uddin, 35, and his wife Salma Begum, 32 - who became
the teenager's legal guardians in 2010 - are now standing trial, accused of
Shahena's murder. Begum is also accused of causing or allowing the de'ath of a
vulnerable adult.
They were charged alongside Shahena's three other brothers,
Jewell, 27, Jhuhal, 33 and Tohel Uddin, 24, who all deny causing or allowing
the de'ath of a vulnerable adult.
Shahena's sister Rehena Uddin, 22, also denies causing or
allowing the de'ath of a vulnerable adult.
Laila Begum, 25, who is the wife of Jhuhal Uddin, denies
causing or allowing the de'ath of a vulnerable adult.
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