By Cara Sulieman
A MAN has appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting young girls in his own shop.
Mohammed Asghar, 56, faces four charges of assault and one of breach of the peace for his alleged behaviour towards three girls on various dates between October 2006 and June this year.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court today he pled not guilty to the charges and he will go to trial next month.
All the incidents are said to have taken place in the shop owned by Asghar – Moons Newsagents in Dalkeith.
Three of the charges relate to one girl who Asghar allegedly assaulted between June 2007 and December 2009.
On one particular occasion, he is accused of locking her into the shop before pulling down her pants and rubbing margarine onto her naked buttocks.
The other two alleged incidents happened on June 17 this year when Asghar is said to have locked an 11-year-old girl into his shop before rubbing his hands over her body and kissing her on the leg.
On the same date he is said to have sprayed a nine-year-old with perfume before lifting her into his arms.
Asghar is due to stand trial for the charges on October 25.
