Granny of tragic Drumchapel toddler tells court she heard confession

The grandmother of a toddler who died in Drumchapel has told a court her daughter-in-law confessed to the killing.

Noor Ahmed, who's 63, claimed in evidence that she heard Sadia Ahmed say she had put 14-month-old Inaya to sleep forever.

Defence QC Ian Duguid accused her of lying, saying, “Sadia Ahmed never said that,” but Mrs Ahmed replied: “I'm not lying. I wouldn't swear on the holy book and lie.”

She was giving evidence for a second day at the trial of 27-year-old Ahmed from Glasgow, who denies murdering her daughter Inaya Ahmed at 47 Bernisadale Drive in Drumchapel.

The prosecution alleges that Inaya was assaulted by her mother on April 17, 2016 and died in the Royal Hospital for Children three days later.

The court heard that in police statements given on April 17 and May 4, last year Mrs Ahmed never mentioned anything about a confession.

In them she described Ahmed as a good mother and stated: “She had Inaya in her arms. She wasn't moving and her lips were blue. She was saying “Baby is not breathing.' I said 'What have you done to her' and took the baby from her.

“I don't remember if it was me or Sadia or my daughter Shagufta was patting on her back and we were rubbing her feet. I was screaming and and I said: 'The baby's not breathing.'

Mr Duguid suggested that that was the true version of what happened and Mrs Ahmed replied: “No I lied about that. I lied to the police because it was such a traumatic event.”

The jury at the High Court in Glasgow heard that on May 4, 2016, Shagufta Yasmin, who was Inaya's aunt, went to the police and confessed to killing her.

Mr Duguid said: “ Shagufta had on May 4, 2016 confessed to killing Inaya,” and Mrs Ahmed replied: “Shagufta could never do something like that. I don't know why she said she had done it.”

The QC then asked if, as she said, Ahmed had confessed to her on April 17, 2016, why didn't she tell the police this and Mrs Ahmed responded: “I knew the truth because Sadia said she had killed her.'

Mr Duguid then said: “If you were really telling the truth you would have given the police a statement telling them about the alleged confession on May 4, to help Shagufta ” and the witness replied: “I have faith in the law. If Shagufta had not done something how could she be punished for it.”

Mrs Ahmed told the court that Inaya was a poor feeder and had her food mashed up for her.

She added that one of the health visitors had advised the family to give Inaya a piece of toast in her hand, so that she could smell it and perhaps eat it.

Mrs Ahmed went on: “Inaya used to hold toast in her hand, but I never saw her putting it in her mouth.”

She told the jury that Ahmed was unwell after the birth of Inaya and spent 11 or 12 days in Leverndale Hospital in Glasgow and added: “I never imagined she would hurt her child.”

Mrs Ahmed denied allegations by Mr Duguid that she insisted that Ahmed should register as her carer and then kept all the cash for that and for Ahmed's part-time work as a nursery nurse.

But, Mrs Ahmed admitted that she owns properties in Helensburgh which she rents out.

She also denied that she told Ahmed who was married to Suleman Ahmed in a Sharia ceremony in London that she could not register her marriage in the UK.

Mr Duguid said: “If Suleman inherits your property and her marriage remains unregistered she would have no legal right to it. She says you told her she could not register her marriage in the UK,” and Mrs Ahmed replied: “She must be lying.”

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.