Judge Peter Murphy made the ruling in the case of Muslim convert Rebekah Dawson, who is facing trial for allegedly intimidating a witness.
The 22-year-old had claimed her religious beliefs dictated that no male other than her husband could see her face.
Lawyers for the defendant had argued that forcing the 22-year-old convert to remove her niqab in court would be a breach of her rights under Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights.
But in a lengthy ruling, Judge Murphy said it was of "cardinal importance" to the adversarial system that a jury could see a defendant's face while giving evidence.
The issue first arose when Mrs Dawson refused to lift her veil in order to identify herself at a plea and case management hearing at Blackfriars Crown Court. » | Martin Evans, Crime Correspondent | Monday, September 16, 2013
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