Man 'left schoolgirls feeling intimidated' after approach in lane

Adnan Ahmed denies the charges at Glasgow Sheriff Court

A man accused of a series of offences against women left two schoolgirls feeling "uncomfortable" and "intimidated" when he approached them in the street, a court has heard.

One witness, who was 17 at the time, said the man told her she "looked pretty" and asked if she was married.

Adnan Ahmed, 37, denies 18 charges including sexual assault and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner.

The offences are alleged to have occurred in Glasgow and Uddingston.

The first alleged victim, now aged 20, told jurors that an "Asian man" named "Addy" approached her in a lane on her way to school in 2016.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "He asked me if I was at school and what I was doing at school.

"He was asking if I had a boyfriend and I said no."

'Grabbed her hand'

The woman said they got to the end of the lane before "Addy" grabbed her hand.

She said: "He asked me if I was married as I was wearing a ring but not on my wedding ring finger. I said no and walked away.

"He then asked for my number and wanted to know if I wanted to go for coffee - I said no."

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard the woman then walked "quickly" towards school where she told friends and teachers about the incident.

She added that the conversation made her feel "uncomfortable".

The second witness, who was 16 at the time and is now 19, said an "Asian man" approached her on the lane.

She said: "He said, 'Hi I'm Addy, what's your name' and started asking general questions and chatting.

"I was really surprised as I didn't know there was anyone behind me so I didn't go into much detail.

"I didn't really know what to do in the situation, he spoke about my school day and subjects."

'Shaken up'

The girl said she felt "intimidated" by "Addy" and "couldn't reply" to him.

The pair parted ways at the end of the lane and the girl walked towards her school, the court heard.

She said: "I wanted to go to school as I was quite shaken up by that point and wanted to make sure I wasn't walking on my own anymore."

The court later heard from a student who said a "dark male" followed her through a shopping mall in Glasgow.

The 21-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he man had also asked her for her number the previous year.

In 2016, she said she was tapped on the arm by the man but refused his advances.

She told jurors: "He told me that I was too pretty to make him walk back."

The woman said the man followed her from college into Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow city centre in 2017.

The man had his hood up and followed her from Buchanan Bus Station. The woman described him as being a "dark male whose nose was quite large."

She added: "I felt that I was being followed so I went into Boots to lose him. He was walking really quickly and really quite close to me."

She claimed that the man laughed at her and made an "inappropriate comment". He also asked for her phone number which she refused to hand over.

Mr Ahmed is alleged to have carried out the offences between May 2016 and January this year.

The trial before Sheriff Lindsay Wood continues.