April 2014
Exmouth man admits sexually assaulting schoolgirl on a bus
A schoolgirl was sexually assaulted by an Exmouth man on bus, a court has been told.
Mariwan Aziz Abdulrahman was a complete stranger to the girl who was taking the bus which runs from Exeter to Exmouth.
The married 32 year old told police he touched the girl because she had ‘nice legs’ and he thought she was older.
He claimed he did not realise she was wearing school uniform even though she had a shirt, tie, socks, shoes, a jumper. a skirt and a school bag.
He was caught on CCTV touching the girl and told police he thought the girl was consenting.
His lawyer told Exeter Magistrates court that the dad of two, of Anson Road, Exmouth, took advantage of the situation.
Prosecutor Deborah Hodges said he was ‘smiley and friendly’ and asked her about drinking and smoking and invited her to sit next to him at the back of the bus.
The court heard he offered her some change and promised her £10 the next day and said she was ‘special’.
The girl was ‘frozen’ as he touched her and told a teacher what had happened when she arrived at school. Police put out some information about the incident and the defendant’s family told him to go to the police station where he was arrested.
Abdulrahman admitted sexual assault on a female and he will be sentenced later. He was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
The court heard he was a Kurd who sought asylum in Britain from Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq.
