Dead body defiled in hospital

Dead body defiled in hospital

The hospital calls it a 'despicable' incident

A £5,000 reward for information has been offered after the body of a Muslim woman, who died in a north west London hospital, was found desecrated in the mortuary.

The woman from Hayes, west London, died of cancer at Hillingdon Hospital on 17 January.

The following day when the family went to view the body in the mortuary they found it had been defiled in a way described as "grotesque" by police.

Scotland Yard says they were called to the mortuary on 18 January after rashers of bacon were found placed on the body.

Police have questioned more than 40 staff and have been looking at hospital CCTV footage.

Family members were so upset they did not want to be identified, but did agree to talk to BBC London News.

I am shocked and outraged that such a thing has happened

David McVittie, chief executive Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust

"The doctor had said that bacon had been placed on her deceased body. I felt almost physically sick," one said.

"It was like a horrible nightmare. I thought I would wake up out of this. I felt emotionally raped."

It is strictly against the Muslim religion to eat or touch pork and the family's solicitor Imran Khan said it was the worst example of anti-Muslim feeling he has ever seen.

"It seems to me there was an anti-Muslim intent in the placing of this type of meat on the body," he told BBC London News.

"This is indicative perhaps of the Islamophobia that exists, particularly around the war and events around Afghanistan."

'Grotesque act'

In a statement the hospital chief executive David McVittie said: "I am extremely sorry for the distress that the family of the lady concerned suffered as a result of this despicable incident and for any distress it has caused to the Muslim community.

"I am shocked and outraged that such a thing has happened and will not rest until we have found the perpetrator of this crime."

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Hester of the Metropolitan Police said: "This is a particularly grotesque act which has outraged the family as well as the whole community".

He said the racial and violent crime task force was helping in the investigation and appealed for anyone with information to call 020 8246 1766.