Excerpt:
A judge today raised concerns over the 'enormous emotional pressure' exerted on women in Muslim communities after a rape case collapsed at the eleventh hour when the wife of an Asian man refused to give evidence against him.
The 35-year-old woman had accused her 34-year-old husband - a convicted sex offender - of raping her twice and was due to testify against him at a trial earlier this week.
But prosecutors were forced to offer no evidence and the case collapsed when the women suddenly decided to retract the allegations.
Judge Simon Newell said he was concerned 'sections of the community' were 'exerting influences' and 'inhibiting the police' from carrying out their duties. He implied justice was being interfered with by those close to the woman who wanted her to drop the charges.