The parents of a 20-year-old Bradford girl said to be under pressure to make an arranged marriage were today beginning prison sentences after being convicted of doping her with drugs and trying to fly her to Pakistan.

Shopkeeper Mohammed Bashir, 45, and his wife Sekina Khan, 40, of Northside Road, Little Horton, wept in the dock at Manchester Crown Court as their counsel told a judge they had acted out of love for their daughter Rehane, who they believed was continuing a relationship with a jailed drugs dealer.

But Judge Anthony Ensor told the couple: "I have to make it quite plain to people like you who endeavour to kidnap or remove their children out of the jurisdiction of this land for your own purposes that it will not be tolerated."

They had both pleaded guilty to kidnapping and administering a noxious substance to their daughter, the "date rape drug" Rohypnol.

Bashir was jailed for two years and his wife for six months.

Leslie Hull, prosecuting, told the court that British-born Rehana, who had left her Bradford home for Luton University partly because she had been under pressure to go to Pakistan and get married, was given a drugged drink at her grandfather's funeral and driven the 50 miles to Manchester Airport asleep.

She regained some of her senses at the airport, and despite being told she was in hospital, became distressed and angry and alerted airport staff.

The judge said: "I am aware of your cultural and religious traditions, particularly with regard to arranged marriages. But clearly your daughter is a British citizen and is entitled to the protection of the law in this country.

"To endeavour to kidnap somebody and take them away in the manner you attempted is contrary to the law of this land and cannot be tolerated. People like your daughter must be protected."

Mr Hull told the court that while the couple retained their traditional culture their daughter had been keen to pursue a more independent life, not least because part of that tradition involved arranged marriages.

After she left for university there had been tension in the family, particularly after they were told she had started living with an Asian man, jailed at the end of last year for 21 months for drug dealing.

There was talk within the family that if she could be persuaded to go to Pakistan she would be in a more stable environment and "hopefully see what was regarded as the error of her ways and she would change".

Eventually the couple decided they would take "more extreme measures", Mr Hull said.

They doped her using tablets prescribed for calm. "She drank the laced drink and immediately felt dizzy and fell asleep," he added.

Defence counsel for the couple said that they worked long hours running their shop in Northside Road, Little Horton, Bradford, solely to educate their daughter and her two brothers, aged 17 and 14.

Mohammed Latif, for Bashir, said the case was "tragic".

Mr Latif said: "His intention and purpose in taking her to Pakistan was with a view to her settling down and returning so she could continue with her education. He felt that his reasons were that he was seeking to protect his daughter."

Stuart Neale, for Khan. said although the courts dealt day-by-day with parents who through inadequacy, drink or drugs beat and ill-treated their children "there can be few cases, if any, where parents come before a court because they love their children too much".

He said jail sentences would mean their business would shut and their two boys would struggle to complete their education.

The couple seemed stunned at the sentences and wiped away tears as they were led from the dock.

Speaking before the case, Bashir told the T&A of his regret. "I am not proud about what I have done," he said. "At the time I just wanted to do something for my daughter. She is my blood. What I did, I did. Now I feel ashamed."

Of the prospect of prison, he said: "I am very, very frightened. And I'm worried. I'm worried for my two sons. One of them is only 13 years old and the other is taking his A levels. I'm not a rich man. I'm working class with a business. I have no idea what will happen to it. The last few months have been a nightmare and now I'm frightened."

He warned other Pakistani parents who may be faced with a similar problem to take notice of his punishment.

"The message is simple," said Bashir. "Do not do what I did."

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