A MOTHER-in-law kept her sons’ wives imprisoned in the family home for years and treated them like ‘slaves and dogs’, a court heard.

The three women, who were also her nieces, came from Pakistan as part of arranged marriages and were kept in Pringle Street, Audley, Blackburn, against their will, the jury was told.

Preston Crown Court was told mother-in-law Naseebah Bibi, 63, ruled the household with a regime of beatings and threats as she ‘totally dominated’ her victims.

They were forced to spend their days cleaning the family home, the jury was told.

One daughter-in-law sometimes worked on an industrial sewing machine from 7am until 10pm for £200 a month, the court heard.

Bibi warned that if her orders were disobeyed they would be sent back to Pakistan to live a life of ‘starvation and disgrace’, the jury was told.

Mother-of-five Bibi is alleged to have falsely imprisoned Nagina Akhtar between 1993 and 2006, Tazeem Akhtar from 2001 to 2003 and Nisbah Akhtar between 2005 and 2007.

Philip Boyd, prosecuting, said all three women had high expectations of a happy family life in England when they married their first cousins in Pakistan.

But instead on their arrival they were abused and allowed no contact with the outside world, he told the jury.

Mr Boyd said: “Bibi was clearly exploiting each of these women effectively by a regime of threats of force, actual force and intimidation.

“Each of them was held against their will and wouldn’t dare to leave until they were broke.

“This is not a case of clashing cultures, of how Islamic women should behave or the problems around arranged marriages.

”Fundamentally a person in their country weather they are born here or are here even just for a day trip are subject to the same protection.

“They must abide by our laws and not prevent people from moving about as they wish. Bibi was exploiting these very vulnerable young women.”

Mr Boyd told the court that Nagina Akhtar married Bibi’s son Fahim in 1993 but as soon as she came to England was ordered by Bibi to spend her time sewing.

He said: “She was ordered to sew for money all day, every day. She received no money as Naseebah Bibi took it away.”

Her daily task continued unbroken for eight years until the birth of her first child but even then Bibi stepped in and took care of the youngster so Nagina could “carry on sewing”, Mr Boyd told the court.

However during cross examination yesterday afternoon Ms Akhtar retracted these claims made to police. She admitted working from 7am until 10pm for £200 a month, but said it was her idea.

Mr Boyd said that on one occasion, after Bibi’s daughter slapped Nagina, she told a neighbour what had happened.

The jury was told that when Bibi found out, she told her daughter-in-law: “How dare you leave the house. If you leave do it again, I will break your legs.”

The authorities were alerted in 2006 when Nagina’s three year-old son told nursery staff Bibi had hit his mother.

The court heard Tazeem’s marriage to Naheem was arranged when she was 18 but she did not come to England until four years later in 2002.

On her first day in Blackburn she learned that her husband, Nahim, already had a partner - a white woman - and two children, the jury was told.

Mr Boyd said: “He had no intention of living as her husband. He effectively had his own lif ”She was treated like a slave. She was ignored by her husband and exploited by her mother-in-law.”

Giving evidence via a satellite link from Islamabad and through a Punjabi translator, Tazeem told the court she was made to clean indoors and outdoors in all weathers.

She said she was often beaten by Bibi, sometimes with a brush or a shoe, and was made to wash clothes with cold water despite there being a washing machine.

Tazeem said she got up at 6am everyday and was ordered to do all the housework.

She told the court: “I was mistreated. My life was miserable. I was scared and terrified of my mother in law.”

After 18 months in England, Bibi took Tazeem to Pakistan when she found out her visa had expired and she was unable to return to Blackburn.

The court heard that, despite Tazeem’s treatment, her sister Nisbah was sent over in 2005 after marrying Bibi’s son Nadeem.

She was not permitted to use the telephone, was beaten up and ‘totally dominated’ by her mother-in-law, the court heard.

The court heard that in October 2007, following an argument with Akhtar and Bibi, Nisbah was locked in a room and only allowed out for supervised toilet visits.

She was able to escape after two days and alert neighbours, the jury was told.

Bibi, 63, had denied charges of falsely imprisoning Nagina, Tazeem and Nisbah Akhtar.

Her son Nadeem Akhtar, 31, also of Pringle Street, denies a charge of falsely imprisoning his wife Nisbah.

(proceeding )