Man sentenced to fours years for groping child

Shopkeeper Hossain Rubel was sentenced to a four year prison term by the East London Regional Court for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old George Randell Primary School pupil in 2014.

The 28-year-old had earlier pleaded not guilty to groping the girl who had visited his shop to buy sweets during a class break on November 12, 2014.

During trial the young girl testified that she had gone to Rubel’s tuck shop outside the school to buy sweets.

She said as soon as she entered the tuck shop, Rubel walked from behind the counter to the customers’ waiting area, closed the door and grabbed her.

She told the court that Rubel used one hand to squeeze her from behind while using another hand to squeeze her breasts.

The young girl said she then ran out of the tuck shop crying and ran back to the school where she reported the incident to her teachers.

Magistrate Ignatius Kitching rejected Rubel's version that he had kicked out the girl out of his shop for asking too many “annoying” questions about the prices of his goods.