Judge orders Muslim woman to remove veil during High Court dispute

The judge ruled neither the woman or her husband could be named

A judge ordered a Muslim woman to remove her veil while giving evidence at a virtual High Court hearing.

The woman was embroiled in a dispute with her estranged husband over their children.

She did not wish to be seen "unveiled" by male participants unless the judge deemed it "necessary", barrister Alistair Perkins said.

Judge Sarah Morgan said she should uncover her face when she and her estranged husband were giving evidence.

The family court hearing was told the woman from Yemen came to the UK almost 20 years ago as a refugee and was an "adherent Muslim" who ordinarily covered her face.

Judge Morgan said she was sympathetic to the woman's desire to wear her veil and ordered she "uncover" only when she and her husband were giving evidence.

The woman alleged that her Somalian-born husband - who she lived with in Sheffield - had been controlling when they were together and would not even let her put the bin out without him being present.

He denied the claims.

The judge concluded the man had wrongly removed the children from their mother's care and taken them abroad.

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Evidence was heard in late 2020 and the judge's decisions have since been published online.

In her ruling, she said: "I was sympathetic to the submission made on the mother's behalf, that whilst she appreciated that the male counsel acting would wish to see her face, it was not necessary for all other participants to the hearing to see her."

She said the family involved could not be identified in media reports of the case.