THE grandmother of Drumchapel tot Inaya Ahmed claimed the baby’s mother said she had put the 14-month-old to “sleep forever” – despite the child’s aunt admitting blame to police.

Noor Ahmed was giving evidence at the trial of Inaya’s mother, Sadia Ahmed, who denies murdering the child in Bernisdale Drive on April 17 last year.

The High Court in Glasgow was told Mrs Ahmed, Sadia Ahmed’s mother-in-law, took Inaya from her mother’s arms when she emerged with the baby after spending 30 to 45 minutes alone with the toddler.

Noor Ahmed told the jury: “I asked, ‘has Inaya gone to sleep’ and Sadia replied, ‘I have put her to sleep forever’.”

Prosecutor Paul Kearney asked: “What was Sadia’s emotion when she was telling you this,” and she responded: “She was normal, she was completely normal.

“Obviously when she said these words to me I started screaming. I didn’t know what else to do.

“I got up to see what was the matter with Inaya. When I held her, her neck dropped to one side. And I screamed.”

She added that the tot’s lips were “blue” and an ambulance was called.

Noor Ahmed, who gave her evidence through an interpreter, admitted she told police in a statement that Inaya’s death was an accident and she had choked. But, in court she claimed that was a lie and added: “I’m here to get justice for Inaya.”

She said that she had asked Sadia Ahmed three times what she had done and told the jury: “She said it was between her and her Allah and that she was not telling me.”

But the court heard that on May 4, 2016, Shagufta Yasmin, Inaya’s aunt, went to the police and confessed to killing the child, but was never charged.

Defence QC Ian Duguid said: “Shagufta had on May 4, 2016, confessed to killing Inaya,” and Noor Ahmed replied: “Shagufta could never do something like that. I don’t know why she said she had done it.”

She told the jury that Ahmed was unwell after the birth of Inaya and spent 11 or 12 days in Leverndale Hospital, Glasgow and added: “I never imagined she would hurt her child.”

Noor Ahmed denied allegations by Mr Duguid that she insisted Sadia Ahmed should register as her carer, and then kept all the cash for that and for Sadia Ahmed’s part-time work as a nursery nurse. But, Noor Ahmed admitted she owns properties in Helensburgh which she rents out.

She also denied that she told Sadia Ahmed, who was married to Suleman Ahmed, Inaya’s father, in a Sharia ceremony in London that she could not register her marriage in the UK.

Mr Duguid said: “If Suleman inherits your property and her marriage remains unregistered she would have no legal right to it. She says you told her she could not register her marriage in the UK,” and Noor Ahmed replied: “She must be lying.”

The jury heard that, during a police search of the house, around £34,000 was found in cash in two bags stored in the loft.

Noor Ahmed said it was money being saving up by all the family for a pilgrimage.

She also denied claims she and her son, Suleman, attempted to extort £10,000 from Sadia Ahmed’s mother by threatening to “change the story [she] had given to police” and that she treated the women in the house “like servants”, refusing to allow them out without her or their husband present.

Sadia Ahmed denies all charges against her and the trial, before judge Lord Matthews, continues.