News

Trader is cleared of crop-top sex assault


3/ 8/2004

A NEWSAGENT has ben cleared of poking a schoolgirl in the breast after a court heard that the victim had not even seen the alleged assault.
Muhammed Bashir Shahzad, aged 39, broke down in a Macclesfield court when found not guilty.
Ian Butress, prosecuting, said that the schoolgirl was buying sweets at the newsagents at Wilmslow railway station on Station Road.
The 15-year-old was wearing a crop top that showed her bare stomach.
He asked the defendant: "Muslim girls don't dress like that do they? Did you find the way she dressed attractive? I put it to you, you found it sexually stimulating to see a girl with lots of bare flesh."
Mr Shahzad replied: "I have a beautiful wife. I don't need this."
Mr Shahzad, who is from Levenshulme, was described by a colleague as a hard working man who prayed throughout the day.
The court heard there were no witnesses of the alleged incident. Not even the girl and her then 16-year-old boyfriend who was with her, had seen any assault.
Both teenagers gave evidence hidden behind tall screens.
The alleged victim said: "I didn't see him do it but I felt it."
She said she went red and began to shake. She told the boyfriend about the alleged assault 10 minutes later and they returned to the shop and began shouting and swearing at Mr Shahzad.
Defending, Anastasi Tasou said: "The complainant herself didn't see anything happen, which is a world away from her comments in interview. You cannot possibly be convinced to the required standard to find this man guilty."
The chairman of the bench Oliver Beck said: "The bench finds that the prosecution have failed to prove the allegation. Therefore we find you not guilty."


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