Takeaway owner appears in court

Takeaway owner appears in court

13 February 2019

A KILLYLEAGH pizzeria owner has been convicted of sexually assaulting a member of staff.

Shah Akabar (29), of Osborne Drive, was convicted at Downpatrick Court on Monday of three charges of sexually touching a female staff member without her consent.

The victim told the court how Akabar grabbed her by the waist and asked him to kiss her in a flat in Killyleagh on a date between March 31 and April 2 last year.

She said that less than a fortnight later, on April 14, he slapped her bottom in the pizzeria in Cross Street, while on April 21 he hit her bottom with a shovel used for turning pizzas.

Giving her evidence from the dock, the victim said that after the last incident she cried and left the pizzeria. “I felt disgusting,” she remarked. “He was touching me.”

She said she stopped working for Akabar and that, later, she would be scared if she saw him in the street.

A colleague said the victim had come out of the pizzeria “crying her eyes out”. She added: “She was really upset.”

Denying all charges, Akabar claimed that the victim “was not a good worker” and was upset because it was her last day at work. He said he was shocked when he was made aware of the allegations.

However, a prosecution lawyer told Akabar: “What you did was indecent and inappropriate.

“You were well aware of what you had done. You overstepped the boundary. You took advantage of this girl.”

Convicting Akabar, District Judge Amanda Brady said she believed the victim and that her credibility was “impressive”.

Sentencing was adjourned until March 21 for a pre-sentence report.