'Trojan Horse' witnesses can give evidence anonymously

The staff worked at Park View School and academies in Birmingham

Witnesses at hearings relating to the "Trojan Horse" affair can give evidence anonymously, it has been ruled.

Park View School in Birmingham was investigated amid claims of a Muslim hardliners' plot in several schools.

Its former head teacher and four members of senior staff all deny unacceptable professional conduct.

A tribunal panel, sitting in Coventry, said a pupil could give evidence in private, and other witnesses were granted anonymity.

Its chairman said the panel's ruling came after hearing two witnesses, known as Witness A and Witness B, had previously felt "intimidation" and were concerned about it happening again.

The case is being heard against former head teacher Monsoor "Moz" Hussain; Lindsey Clark, executive head teacher at Park View; Hardeep Saini, former head teacher of sister school Golden Hillock; Razwan Faraz, former deputy head teacher of Nansen Primary; and Arshad Hussain, an assistant head teacher at Park View.

'Conspiracy theories'

They are accused of agreeing to "the inclusion of an undue amount of religious influence in the education of pupils", at Park View Academy, and in some cases, two other linked schools.

The hearing, which started on Monday, is scheduled to last until December.

In a separate hearing being heard in Solihull, Inamulhaq Anwar, a former Park View teacher who taught sex education, admitted to being part of a WhatsApp group called The Park View Brotherhood.

The group, many of whom were Park View teachers, discussed topics described at the hearing as "conspiracy theories, and its members were anti-Israeli, anti-British Army and homophobic, the hearing was told.

A WhatsApp group known as the Park View Brotherhood was set up. Many members were Park View teachers

The comments included a discussion about the Boston bombing being organised by the CIA and the necessity for teachers to be "vigilant" in light of the Gay Marriage Act. In other discussions, homosexuals were described as "animals and satanic".

Mr Anwar denied sharing these views and said he had not studied many of the comments in detail.

"It is not possible to look at everything on WhatsApp," he said.

Mr Anwar is said to have agreed with others, on or before 31 March 2014, to the inclusion of an undue amount of religious influence in pupils' education.

Mr Anwar is also accused of breaching recruiting policy.