Shopkeeper tried to have sex with girl, 14

A shopkeeper tried to get a frightened schoolgirl to have sex in a dark storeroom, a jury was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard claims that Mahmood Jan (24), of Abbeyhills Road, Oldham, touched the 14-year-old’s hip and tried to kiss her twice in the room, which had a dirty old mattress on the floor.

The girl, who alleged Jan attempted to stop her getting away, said she was nervous and shaking.

She told the hearing the defendant, who had earlier offered her “a couple of quid” to clean the room at the Village Pantry in Oswaldtwistle, told her to calm down if she didn’t want to do anything.

The schoolgirl, whose friend was waiting in the shop, said as she left the room Jan told her she knew where he was if she wanted him.

Asked by a police officer if she took this to mean if you were ready to have sex to go back to him, the girl replied: “Yes.”

The girl, who later picked out Jan on a video identity parade, told a trusted teacher a couple of days after the alleged incident on May 29, last year, who raised the alarm.

The defendant claims nothing happened and denies sexual assault.

Giving evidence via video link, the girl said she told Jan to get off her when he tried to kiss her.

She claimed the defendant told her: “If you don’t want to kiss me we could always do it over there,” and pointed to the mattress. She thought he meant sex.

The girl said she attempted to push the defendant away and he stopped her from getting out of the door by putting his arm out. She said she was nervous and Jan was trying to calm her down.

The girl claimed she had not wanted to tell her mum as she was afraid of what her parents might say.

Paul Reid, defending, said: “Nothing happened to you in the shop on Friday, May 29.”

She replied: “Nothing sexual, no. But something did happen, yes.”

Mr Reid claimed if anything had happened in the shop the defendant was not responsible.

He said: “You and your friend dreamed this up between you to get some attention for yourselves.

“Or is it something that happened to you some other time, some other place and more importantly, with some other person?”


The case continues