Hold-up in trial of chippy boss on sex assault charges

May 29 2008 By our court reporter

THE trial of an ex-Hamilton chip shop manager who has been charged with sexually assaulting two 16-year-old girls was delayed this week.

Salih Kus (38), denies indecently touching the teenagers and another woman at the Marinis takeaway shop in Low Waters Road.

It is understood all three women worked there at the time of the alleged incidents, but have all since left.

The chippy was leased to the accused by businessman Guiseppe Marini.

However, Kus was sacked when the allegations came to light and the premises are now under new management.

Kus is accused of assaulting the teenage girls between August 1 and September 30 last year.

He denied assaulting the first girl, who is now 17 years old, by repeatedly taking a hold of her before touching her buttocks and placing his hands down her top.

Kus, who is Turkish and stays in Coatbridge, is accused of assaulting the second teenager by repeatedly handling her breasts and buttocks.

A third charge alleges he assaulted a woman by handling her breasts and buttocks between June 1 and November 18 last year.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Kus appeared in the dock.

However, one of the essential crown witnesses failed to turn up.

Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC postponed the trial to a date in August and also set an intermediate hearing date for July.