Mariam Moustafa death: Father condemns sentences and says ‘we are not safe in this country’
'I have said from the first day, we need justice. Not just for me but for other people,' Mohamed Moustafa said
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Your support makes all the difference.The father of an Egyptian student who died after a “pack” of girls repeatedly punched her and slammed her against a bus stop has condemned their sentences and said there is "no justice in this country".
Mariam Moustafa suffered a stroke shortly after the violent attack over a boy in Nottingham.
The 18-year-old died a month after the February assault. Ms Moustafa, who had been offered a place at university in London, was chased through Nottingham city centre before some of the girls punched and shoved her, while the others were either filming the incident or watching and laughing.
However, the suspects could not be charged with manslaughter because investigators were unable to prove a link to the attack.
As a result they could only be charged with affray and six girls pleaded guilty to the offence earlier this week.
Mariah Fraser, 20, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to eight months in a young offenders’ institution. It emerged that she had previous convictions for robbery and assaulting a police officer.
Britania Hunter, 18, and a 16-year-old girl were spared custody. Three other girls, aged 16, 17 and 18, will be sentenced later this month.
Passing sentence Gregory Dickinson QC, said: "Mariam's last experience of her precious young life was facing this violence and abuse. That was wretched for her, and an awful memory for her family, which will haunt them forever."
He added: "This was a confrontation. Shouting, abuse, threats and finally violence. All in one direction. There is a natural, strong suspicion that the stroke was brought on by the actions of the defendants."
"The conclusion was that it could not be proved that there was a causative link between the actions of the defendants and the stroke," he concluded.
After the hearing, Mariam's father Mohamed Moustafa said: "We are not safe in this country”.
The 51-year-old added that his family are considering moving back to Egypt as a result.
"I have said from the first day, we need justice. Not just for me but for other people,” he said. "Maybe this will happen to your daughter or your son - we don't have a strong law for what happened. It should be changed."
Mr Moustafa said he does not believe there is no link between the attack and his daughter’s death.
“I waited all this time for justice, but now I feel there is no justice in this country,” he added.
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