A jury has begun its deliberations in the trial of a Syrian asylum seeker accused of sexually assaulting two women in Falkirk.
Muhammad Sheikhi, 23, is alleged to have carried out both attacks in the early hours of Sunday November 30 last year, close to the Hotel Cladhan where he had been staying.
He is accused of attacking the first woman at a railway bridge on Kerse Lane, where it is alleged he hugged and kissed her and put his hands under her clothing.
It is said he then sexually assaulted a second woman with intent to rape her in Kerse Lane and the nearby Bellsmeadow skate park, where it is alleged he pinned her against a tree and put his hands under her clothing.
Sheikhi, who came to the UK by boat, denies all the charges against him.
Addressing the jury at Stirling Sheriff Court on Friday morning, Sheriff Keith O’Mahony said: “It is important that your verdict is based on the evidence.
“It must not be swayed by any emotional considerations or prejudice or any revulsion you might have for the type of conduct which is alleged.”
Giving his closing speech on Thursday, prosecutor Jamie Hilland put it to the jury that Sheikhi had acted in a “predatory” manner towards the two women.
“I suggest that the evidence demonstrates that in the early hours of November 30 last year, the accused behaved in a predatory manner towards these two women and he sexually assaulted them,” Mr Hilland said.
“There are compelling similarities between the two crimes.
“These were so closely linked in time and circumstances as to form part of a single course of criminal conduct systematically pursued by the accused.”
He added: “On their evidence the accused approached both women, he’s tried to give them his phone. He tried to get them to add him on Snapchat.
“In both cases he’s tried to corner the complainer, and he then sexually assaulted both of them.”
In his closing speech, Sheikhi’s lawyer Paul Keenan urged the jury to acquit his client of both charges, saying the evidence against him was “flawed throughout”.
He cast doubt on the credibility of both women, saying both had been drinking for hours before the alleged assaults were said to have taken place.
He also said the fact Sheikhi had remained with one of his alleged victims while she was talking to her friend was not consistent with him having just sexually assaulted her.
He asked the jury: “If Sheikhi had sexually assaulted her with the intention of raping her, does it make sense for him to be hanging about while she’s talking with other people?”
He added: “I would say not.”
Sheikhi denies all the charges against him.
