A 20-year-old woman seeking refuge in a Liverpool newsagent was sexually assaulted by a staff member, a court heard.
Horrifying Attack in Liverpool One Shop
Yaaqob Saleh, from Toxteth, took advantage of the vulnerable woman in the early hours at the Liverpool One Newsagents on Whitechapel. The victim had been out in the city centre in March last year and went to the store after her phone died, hoping to charge it and call a taxi home.
Saleh was working behind the counter and offered her a spot by a heater to wait. The prosecutor, Michelle Dodd, said Saleh “began to touch her thigh and asked for a kiss.” The woman rejected him, but Saleh then kissed her cheek before putting his hand up her skirt and touching her crotch.
The victim curled up in a ball and cried after the attack, eventually managing to contact a friend and leaving once her phone had charged enough.
Guilty Verdict Delivered, Sentencing Delayed
Saleh was found guilty of sexual assault following a trial at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court. However, his solicitor confirmed an appeal is now pending. Sentencing was pushed back to January 29 so he can secure new legal representation.
The victim, moved to tears during the hearing, told the court the assault “impacted almost every part of her life” and left her asking, “why me?”
Saleh has been released on bail ahead of sentencing.
