A GIRL who was allegedly murdered by her parents because she ‘was bringing shame’ on her family ran away from home to Blackburn before she died.

Shafilea Ahmed’s parents are on trial accused of killing their 17-year-old daughter.

The Warrington youngster’s body was found in 2004 in Cumbria.

In a trial, at Chester Crown Court, a jury heard that in 2003 she came to Blackburn to stay with a man called Mushtaq Bagas.

The 38-year-old denied having a sexual relationship with Shafilea in February, 2003.

He told the court he knew the teenager was having problems at home, and her friend had asked him if he could help.

Mr Bagas said she stayed with him at his brother’s house in Blackburn, before staying in a cheap bed and breakfast for one night, but they only kissed.

Shafilea’s parents, Farzana Ahmed, 49, and Iftikhar, 52, of Liverpool Road, Warrington, both deny murdering their daughter.

The prosecution alleges the couple killed their daughter because she was Westernised, and refused to obey them.

Andrew Edis QC said the couple believed Shafilea’s conduct was bringing shame on the family.

He said: “The defendants, having spent the best part of 12 months trying to really crush her, realised they were never going to be able to succeed and finally killed her because her conduct dishonoured the family, bringing shame on them.”

He said they embarked on a “campaign of domestic violence to force her to conform”.

He said the case had taken a long time to be brought to trial because it was not until August 2010 that a witness to the crime came forward.

The court heard that Shafilea’s parents regularly locked her in her room without food, and withdrew money from her account that she had been saving up.

Friend Sarah Bennett said: “One time Shafilea had dyed her hair and put on false nails, but she said her mum had washed her hair and ripped her false nails off and called her a slut.”

(Proceeding)