A religious father put safety pins through the tongues and lips of his two children and slit their mouths with scalpel blades, a court has heard.
The father, from Nigeria, told the boys he inflicted the injuries because God had his tongue cut off in the Bible, a jury at Bradford Crown Court was told.
The boys' injuries were discovered in February 2005 when a school friend of the older boy, now aged 13, noticed bruises on his body during a PE lesson, the court heard.
The boy's younger brother, now aged 11, was questioned and told the school he had been assaulted the previous night when his father swung a pole at him, causing cuts to his fingers.
"A scalpel had been used to slit their lips and inside their mouths. Their father had then sewn them up with a medical kit that he had."
Miss Wigin added that the boy said his father "spoke about God in the Bible having his tongue cut off" as an explanation for why he carried out the injuries.
clipped from: news.bbc.co.uk