THE owner of a dry cleaners has been placed on the sex offenders' register after sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in his Brentwood shop.
Shehzad Abbas, 26, has also been ordered to attend a sex offenders' group programme, pay £500 compensation to his victim and £1,400 in legal defence costs after groping the young girl.
Abbas was alone in Brentwood 2hr Dry Cleaners in Ongar Road with the local girl while he was altering her skirt.
The girl – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was in her boxer shorts when the assault took place on September 5 last year.
The girl's statement to police said: "He started to sort out my boxer shorts trying to straighten them using his finger. He moved his hand around the band and then touched the top of my thigh near my private parts.
"He said nothing and when I said I felt uncomfortable he took his hand away."
Judge Christopher Mitchell urged Abbas at this week's sentencing at Basildon Crown Court to employ a female assistant to avoid similar situations arising in the future.
He added: "There is no doubt she was made to feel very uncomfortable and was in quite a state when she left your shop."
Described as a "devout Muslim" Abbas, of Grove Road, Walthamstow, will remain on probation for the next 36 months and have to complete 80 hours unpaid community work.
Abbas will stay on the sex offenders' register for five years.
The sex offenders' register holds details of all those convicted or cautioned for a crime in England and Wales under the 2003 Sexual Offences Act.
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