These are the latest ECHO headlines this morning.
Man sexually assaulted little girl in newsagents
A man sexually assaulted a ten year old girl in a Liverpool newsagents.
Abdul Gani was found guilty of assault by touching by magistrates earlier this year after approaching a girl in Jim’s News on Fountains Road in Kirkdale earlier this year. Gani appeared at Sefton Magistrates’ Court this morning for sentencing - but his case was unable to proceed.
Magistrates had previously ordered a pre-sentence report for Gani but a probation officer in court this morning explained staff illness meant it was unable to take place before the hearing.
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District Judge James Clarke ordered a new report for the 32-year-old but sent his case to Liverpool Crown Court, ruling it was too serious to be dealt with in the magistrates’ courts. He said he would also ask probation to consider whether Gani could be classified as a dangerous offender.
Gani, who spoke to the court via an interpreter, was unrepresented today and when District Judge Clarke suggested he secure legal representation Gani said repeatedly he wanted to leave the UK to return to his home country.
Read the full story here.
Owner's heartache as car smashes up restaurant months after £130k refurb
A restaurant owner is counting the cost after a car smashed up his restaurant months after a huge £130k refurbishment.
Emergency services rushed to Allerton Road in Mossley Hill at around 4.15pm on Monday, July 4, following reports a red car had smashed through a restaurant window. Once Merseyside Police officers arrived at the scene they found a Peugeot lodged inside the front window and doorway of Millon Restaurant, and Indian eatery.
Front of house manager, Zak Jalil, said he was standing outside the front of his business having a cigarette before his shift was due to begin when the incident happened. The manager told The ECHO how he walked over to his car to get his shirt and trousers to get changed into when he saw the car pull up and then plough into the restaurant.
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Just four months prior to the crash, the restaurant underwent a £130k refurbishment which took around one month to complete.
Zak said: "I was just at my car having a cigarette and I was on the phone, I had a call at the same time, and I could see a car pulling up behind. I could see her [the driver] slowing down and then I saw the car jump up and just go through the shop.
"I'm screaming 'oh my god the shop, the shop, the shop', and realised there was an old lady in the car. So I opened the door and said 'let me get you out', and I got her out and she was in shock."
Read more here.
Man shot while sitting at memorial to murdered friend
A man shot multiple times in the legs and back was sitting by a memorial to a murdered friend when the "targeted" attack began.
The victim, 23, is understood to have been chatting with friends in a pedestrianised area between Croxdale Road West and Croxdale Road, West Derby, at around 4.55pm on Saturday (July 2). Floral tributes and a painted mural have been laid at the scene in memory of Elliot Mulligan, 22, who was stabbed to death in Albufeira, Portugal, on April 25 this year.
Mr Mulligan had previously lived on the adjoining Snowberry Road, before moving to Northern Ireland. Locals in the area of the shooting told the ECHO Mr Mulligan's friends and others regularly gathered at the scene.
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A resident who knew both Mr Mulligan and the victim of the shooting told the ECHO: "He was just sitting there, at the area where the memorial is, when it happened. We gather there on sometimes a daily basis.
"I haven't got a clue what it's about, there are that many gangs and disputes these days it could be anything. The people who ran out to him drove him to hospital, they thought he might have bled out if they had waited for an ambulance."
Read the full story here.
