The issue focused specifically on a group of students from three of the four schools, who were not allowed to wear head covers to a meeting with the head of an Islamic institution, the court heard.

"They were in their headscarves when they came to this meeting. What do we have here?" a female juror asked the court at Manchester Crown Court after the hearing.

"This is clearly an abuse of power. The government has to explain this to me. How can it be that these