According to a Daily Mail report, Amina Al-Jeffery, the 21-year-old victim, said that despite being born in Swansea, she was forcefully taken to Saudi Arabia by her father at the age of 16, who disapproved of her western lifestyle, which was “against Islam”. Her father reportedly disapproved of her behaviour when she lived in the UK.
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Lawyers representing her are now in London asking a court to help her. Mohammed Al-Jeffery also says Amina shaved her own head.
During the trial, it was revealed that a case was registered against her father only after she managed to escape from the house, after which she contacted the police.
“To take an example, that he locks her in the flat when he goes out”.
“Steps need to be taken to ensure Jeffery is returned to the United Kingdom where her safety can be guaranteed”, the Foreign Office’s Forced Marriage Unit said. She said that her father locked her in her room and disconnect all facilities.
Mr Scott-Manderson told Mr Justice Holman that Mr Al-Jeffery did not want to attend the hearing.
Mr Scott-Manderson disputed this saying: “it’s not true that he shaved Amina, he says Amina did that because she wanted to be shaved”.
“He wants to help Amina, he says, he says he brought her to Saudi Arabia to help her”.
“She has expressed a wish to return to England but has been prevented from doing so by her father”, he argued in a written document give to Mr Justice Holman.
During the hearing on Wednesday, barristers representing her said it had been hard to receive instructions from her – but she had spoken to a member of staff at the British Consulate in Jeddah.
The judge is considering whether to make an order that she be brought back to the United Kingdom, or allowed to meet with the British Consulate without her father being present.
Amina, who is an adult now, holds a dual Saudi Arabia as well as United Kingdom citizenship.
He said the Saudi government was paying Mr Al-Jeffery’s legal bills – via the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This is not a criticism of the British people but he says Amina is reckless and can not help herself”.
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Mr Scott-Manderson relayed his client’s concerns, claiming she had not been focusing on school, taking drugs, “going to clubs and spending time with older men”.
