Teacher at mosque on sex charge

Nov 1 2006 By Ross Mccarthy, Birmingham Mail

A TEACHER at a Birmingham mosque indecently touched a teenager during religious lessons, it was claimed at the city's crown court.

Mohammed Rabani carried out the sexual assault after sending the rest of the class out of the teaching room, it was alleged.

Rabani, aged 33, of Manor Farm Road, Greet, has denied a charge of sexual assault.

Edward Coke, prosecuting, said the 14-year-old victim had gone to a mosque in Crocketts Road, Handsworth, for religious education with his sister.

He said he normally attended between 4.30pm and 5.30pm during the week.

However, in October last year he and some other boys started "mucking about" during a lesson, said Mr Coke.

After sending the rest of the class out, Rabani, it is alleged, put the teenager's jacket over the victim's legs.

Mr Coke said he did this in case anybody came in so he could hide what he was doing before carrying out the assault.

He said Rabani later turned up at the victim's home and that he told the teenager's mother the victim had been spreading rumours.

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