A MAN accused of repeatedly molesting a five-year-old girl has walked free after being cleared by a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday (July 16).

Faheem Zulqarnain, 44, of High Road, South Woodford, was alleged to have taken the child to a secluded area near Snaresbrook, before slipping his hand into her underwear, jurors were told.

Zulqarnain was also accused of hitting the girl and pulling her hair, as well as shouting and swearing at her when she tried to stop him ‘playing with her’, the court heard.

In video evidence, the girl, clutching a teddy bear, told how Zulqarnain touched her ‘where she went to the toilet’.

The child, who is now nine said ‘it hurt’ and that she was unable to concentrate on school work after the alleged assaults between January 16, 2009 and December 31, 2010.

Prosecutor Catherine Farrelly said the girl's claims emerged on July 25 last year.


And she added: “She said the defendant had been shouting at her and hit her on an occasion in his car when they were together.


“She said she hadn't told anyone about this.


“She said the defendant had 'put his hand in there', pointing at her genitals.”


The girl went on to say that the incidents happened in Zulqarnain's car, when they were alone.

But after a four-day trial, jurors unanimously cleared Zulqarnain of two counts of sexually abusing a child under 13.

Zulqarnain broke down in tears as he described to jurors how he was ‘revolted’ by the thought of touching the girl.

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