THE OWNER of Dumbarton takeaway business Mr Kebab hopes the shop can recover from the damage of a recent sexual assault charge against a former worker that ended in a not guilty decision.

Hassan Al Kheteeb, 30, of Raglan Street in Woodside, was recently cleared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court of sexually assaulting two women, aged 17 and 19, at the Mr Kebab store on Glasgow Road, Dumbarton.

Mr Al Kheteeb was found not guilty on a charge of sexually assaulting a woman, detaining her against her will, instructing her to dance, making remarks of a sexual nature, forcefully kissing her against her will, pushing her against a fridge and sexually assaulting her.

The jury found a second charge not proven, which alleged Mr Al Kheteeb repeatedly refused a woman to leave, instructed her to dance, placed her on a counter and made remarks of a sexual nature.

Mr Al Kheteeb was employed in the store last July for a few weeks when the owner, Masood Ranjbar, 46, was on holiday.

He was called in Iran by police informing him his temporary worker had been arrested.

Ever since, Mr Ranjbar said he has had to contend with people dragging him and his business through the mud because of the nature of the charges.

He is glad to see the end of the saga for both Mr Al Kheteeb and himself.

“I’d say about 80 per cent of my customers know who I am, and know the charge wasn’t against me,” Mr Ranjbar said.

“The good thing is so many people know me because I’ve been here a long time.

“But some people, you know they see the newspaper headlines or look on Facebook and they think I am guilty.

“For two or three months after he was arrested, it was very, very quiet.

“So many times, people would walk past or come in and shout ‘blah, blah, blah’ because of this. Nasty stuff.”

Mr Ranjbar said he employed Mr Al Kheteeb last summer because he had a good reputation among his friends in Glasgow.

The Mr Kebab owner said his only contact with him since the arrest was this week, when a relieved Mr Al Kheteeb phoned to say he was cleared.

“I said that’s great,” Mr Ranjbar continued.

“People should know it is nothing to do with the shop, everything is the same here.”

Mr Al Kheteeb’s defence evidence included testimony from another Mr Kebab worker, who wished not to be named.

He told the Reporter he was not surprised by the trial’s result and hopes people no longer walk past the shop shouting accusations.