PERTH MAN JAILED FOR SEX ATTACKS
Farooq Hussain, a 56-year-old man, has been convicted of sexually abusing teenage girls and has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.In addition, he faces a further 30 months of supervised release after his release from prison.
Hussain, who was a well-known member of the local Muslim community, was accused of attacking two girls aged 14 and 15, but denied the allegations.
He was found guilty at Perth Sheriff Court.
The court revealed that Hussain's abuse occurred over a period of five years; the first incident involved a 15-year-old girl at his restaurant in Perth city center on November 26, 2002.
More recently, he indecently assaulted another girl aged 14 on two separate occasions last year.
When she threatened to report him, Hussain allegedly responded, "Do you know what this will do to me?
You will ruin my life." The sheriff, Lindsay Foulis, stated that he considered Hussain's attempts to tarnish the reputations of his victims during sentencing.
Prosecutors highlighted the seriousness of the charges, which included multiple indecent assaults by Hussain, a man in his fifties, on girls in their early to mid-teens.
Hussain, married with three children, had a history of charity work and running a restaurant.
His defense pointed to a long list of testimonials praising his community service, emphasizing his attempts to embrace different cultures throughout his life.
Outside court, a victim's father expressed satisfaction with the sentence, stating he was pleased the court and jury "saw through his lies." Hussain's defense argued that his good deeds should be taken into account, but the court made clear that the convictions were based on very strong evidence, including the victims' testimonies.
Hussain's DNA was reportedly found on saliva samples, but he claimed the DNA was there because the girl had lifted her top and pressed against him.
The judge emphasized that the crimes were extremely serious and involved assault on minors.
Hussain's character and community standing were acknowledged, but these did not outweigh the gravity of his offenses.
This case highlights the importance of justice for victims of sexual abuse, regardless of the offender’s social or community standing.
