Muslim woman’s body found in hospital morgue covered with bacon

A £5,000 reward is being offered by police after the body of a Muslim woman was found in a hospital mortuary, covered with rashers of bacon.

The desecration was discovered when the family of the grandmother, aged 65, was waiting to see her body after she lost her fight with cancer.

The Metropolitan Police’s racial crime task force was called in to investigate the incident, at Hillingdon Hospital in west London, and an extensive inquiry was launched.

It is strictly against the Muslim religion to touch or eat pork and the woman’s family, who do not want to be identified, have been left deeply traumatised.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Hester, of Hillingdon police, said: “This is a particularly grotesque act which has outraged the family as well as the whole community.

“Because of the nature of the incident a criminal investigation was immediately initiated and is still ongoing. DCC4 – Racial and Violent Crime Task Force – was involved in the initial investigation and officers from the Community Safety Unit are in constant liaison with them.”

Independent, 17 April 2008