Facing jail, juror whose hijab hid an MP3 player
A Muslim juror was thrown off a murder trial when she was caught listening to an MP3 music player under her headscarf.
Ruhela Khanom, 20, was exposed by another juror who spotted headphone wires around her neck.
At the time of the discovery, the defendant was giving evidence from the witness box.
Legal experts described the incident - which took place 13 days ago - as 'astonishing' and 'unique'.
The judge had banned reporting of the case until the conclusion of the trial at Blackfriars Crown Court in the City of London yesterday.
Discharging Khanom from her duty as juror and initiating contempt of court proceedings, Judge Roger Chapple said: "That particular juror has given everyone in this case concern from the very outset."
She had asked to be excused from serving shortly after the trial began and then asked for the court not to sit for a day so that she could attend a nursery nurse course.
When questioned, it emerged that the course was not essential and was conducted on the Internet.
The unemployed juror, from Bow in East London, was late for court so often that the judge ordered her to arrive 15 minutes early each day.
Lawyers were reportedly left wondering whether she was 'in a world of her own'.
Court staff became convinced she was doodling instead of reading documents submitted in evidence and, two weeks into the trial, the prosecution asked for Khanom to be discharged.
The judge rejected the application, pointing out that the 'random selection of jurors was a very important aspect of the trial process'.
He said discharges should be used only where there had been 'very, very serious . . . improper behaviour' that required action.
But a day later Khanom was found listening to her MP3.
The juror was allegedly listening to an MP3 player
In the absence of the jury, Judge Chapple told the court: "There was a complaint made by a fellow juror during the course of the luncheon adjournment.
"The juror had seen wires disappearing into the juror in question's headscarf and heard her music emanating from that juror while we were in court and everyone else listening with close attention to important evidence of the defendant.
"A member of the defence team had also noticed the wires. I said during the course of submissions I thought I heard the characteristic tinny sound of music from headphones fleetingly."
Khanom, who was wearing a hijab, or headscarf, with a tightfitting black and white dress and jeans, was led into court to be told she was being discharged and would face a contempt charge.
She was then taken from the room to be arrested and have her digital music player seized.
The other 11 jurors were later told she would take no further part in the trial because of her lateness and a separate 'matter' raised by another juror.
A court official said afterwards: "In all the years I have served here I have never known anything like it. The woman was clearly laughing at the court and our system of justice."
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