Inayah murder accused tells court she'll be grieving daughter for the rest of her life

Murder accused Sadia Ahmed has wept and told jurors that she will be grieving the death of her 14-month-old daughter for the rest of her life.

Ahmed, 28, who was giving evidence at the High Court in Glasgow for a second day turned to judge Lord Matthews at the end of her evidence and said:” My Lord, I'm a grieving mother. I have been grieving for one year six months and 16 days and I will be grieving till my very last,” before she broke down sobbing.

Ahmed denies murdering Inaya Ahmed on 17 April 2016, at the family home in Drumchapel by suffocating her with a pillow.

She has told the jury that her daughter choked on a piece of toast.

Inaya was rushed to the Royal Hospital for Children and put on a life support machine, which was switched off on April 20, 2016,

Earlier, Ahmed told defence QC Ian Duguid that she was not treated well by her husband's Suleman's parents and other family members who lived with them.

She claimed she was made to sleep on the floor in her mother-in-law's bedroom after she gave birth to Inaya and added : “I was treated like a slave in that house. That's why I was made to sleep on the floor in her bedroom after giving birth.”

The court heard that health visitors told the family that Inaya, who was a difficult feeder, should be given solid food rather than mashed food.

Susan McIntyre, 50, a nursery nurse with the NHS, said that she visited the family home on November 17 2015 after concerns were raised about Inaya being fed with a syringe.

Miss McIntyre said: “Sadia welcomed me at the door with Inaya. The place was pristine. The floors were sparkling. I was shown into a room where Inaya's grandmother was. There were no chairs, so I sat on the floor.”

She said that Sadia “fully engaged with her” but got the impression that the grandmother Noor Ahmed felt she was interfering.

Miss McIntyre added: “I think she didn't know why I was there. I was giving advice on solid food, vegetables, carrots, broccoli and toast first thing in the morning, with butter on it to make it softer.”

Mr Duguid asked the nurse: “Did you understand that Inaya was getting mashed up food,” and she replied: “She should start using finger foods at nine months old. If a child isn't used to solid food they don't develop a gag reflux. Her muscles in her throat wouldn't have developed properly and it would be difficult for her to swallow.”

Miss McIntyre told the court she later saw Ahmed and her daughter in the Drumchapel community clinic in the beginning of December 2015.

She was then asked by the QC how Ahmed was with her daughter and she replied: “It was very good and positive. Inaya came over to her and she was kissing and cuddling her and there was a lot of good eye contact.”

Christina Brown, 57, joint co-ordinator of an out-of-school care project, told the jury that Ahmed worked for her for three days in March and three days in April 2016.

Miss Brown said she had no concerns about Ahmed, who looked after four to seven year olds and added: “She interacted well and the children were quite comfortable in her company.”

She was then asked if she knew Ahmed had a child and replied: “I did, yes. She showed us pictures of her daughter which were on her phone.”

Mr Duguid said: “The impression you are giving is that she was quite proud of her daughter,” and Miss Brown replied: “Yes she was.”

On Thursday in evidence Ahmed had claimed she was not allowed to have a phone of her own.

Prosecutor Paul Kearney asked Miss Brown: “So she had a phone,” and the witness replied: “She had her own phone, yes.”

He then said: “Was it like a smartphone,” and she replied “Yes It was.”

The trial continues.