Businessman guilty of sex attacks

Farooq Hussain had denied attacking the girls

A prominent Perth businessman is facing jail after being found guilty of sexually abusing teenage girls.

Farooq Hussain, who owned a string of restaurants and held high-profile charity events, was convicted after a week-long trial at Perth Sheriff Court.

The jury found that Hussain, 56, had sexually assaulted a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old girl.

Sentence was deferred for background reports. Hussain's name was added to the sex offenders register.

Hussain was a driving force in the Perth mosque and raised funds at an event with politicians after the Pakistan earthquake.

Restaurant attack

On Thursday, a jury found the married businessman guilty of all three charges against him.

He sexually abused a 15-year-old girl at the Al Farooq restaurant he owned in Perth city centre on 26 November 2002.

On 1 or 2 July last year he indecently assaulted a 14-year-old girl in Perth. He then attacked her again on 4 August.

His most recent victim, now aged 15, wept as she told the court Hussain forced himself upon her while she was helping him decorate a flat.

He tried to tarnish my daughter's name. Maybe now she can stop having nightmares about him Victim's mother

She said her chest was left bruised as a result of the attack and told how she fled in tears into the arms of her mother.

The jury was told that Hussain said: "Do you know what this will do to me? You will ruin my life," as the schoolgirl told him she was reporting him to the police.

She said Hussain, from Perth, offered to give her money as she ran from the flat.

The girl told the court the incidents had had a dramatic effect on her life as she no longer spent time with male friends and kept herself covered up at all times.

Sentence was deferred for social background, community service, psychological and psychiatric reports.

Outside court, the mother of one victim said: "This has been absolutely horrific for my daughter. I don't even think he is human.

"He showed no emotion in court. He tried to tarnish my daughter's name. Maybe now she can stop having nightmares about him.

"The main thing for us was that the girls got justice and they have. I just hope that they can move on now with the right help."