Shropshire Star

Shropshire businessman groped teenage girl at party, court told

A businessman from Oswestry groped a 15-year-old girl at a party, it was claimed in court.

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Simon King, who runs Halcyon Furniture, faces two counts of sexual activity with a child after the alleged incident at his farmhouse in Haughton, near Oswestry, on August 9, 2014.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told a jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court the 47-year-old grabbed her bottom twice during the 1980s-themed fancy dress party.

She said it happened once in the kitchen and again as they were leaving at the end of the night.

The jury were told yesterday King and the girl also exchanged messages on Facebook the following day, with the businessman telling her she was "beautiful, smart and horribly illegal".

But King, taking to the witness stand to give evidence, denied touching the girl sexually.

Mr Matthew Dunford, for King, asked him: "The allegation is that you deliberately touched her on the bottom and you did it more than once. Is that right?" "No, it is not," King replied.

The court heard the allegations came to light after the girl's mother discovered the messages sent from King on her phone. They were passed on to police and the businessman was arrested. He denies all charges against him. The jury is expected to be sent out to consider its verdict today. The trial continues.

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