Man 'groped 14-year-old girl' at Rangers title celebrations

A man has been accused of groping a 14-year-old girl after shouting “F*** the pope” at the Rangers title celebrations in Glasgow.

Mohammed Gadribo, 37, is on trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court accused of a single charge of sexual assault.

He is charged with attacking the schoolgirl at George Square on March 7 this year as fans gathered to celebrate the club’s Premiership win.

After the event she told police that a man put his hand down her trousers, pushed her to the ground, touched her breast and rubbed himself against her.

It is also alleged that he asked her to go back to his house and told her “your mum and dad don’t need to know” during the incident that she said lasted around five minutes.

Prosecutors state Gadribo, of the city’s Tollcross, placed his arms around her on the body and touched her breasts over her clothing.

It is alleged he then pulled her to the ground, rubbed his body on hers and he attempted to place his hands under her clothing.

Gadribo faces a separate charge of breaching Covid regulations by failing to remain at his home address except for a permitted essential purpose.

During his trial on Friday the court was played a video police interview from the night of the alleged incident.

The girl, wearing a Rangers home jersey, told officers that she and a friend went to Ibrox to celebrate with a friend.

She claimed it was at outside the stadium where she first encountered the man who was singing songs, including Follow Follow and The Sash, near them before shouting “F*** the Pope.”

The girl claimed she then went to George Square where a further gathering was talking place.

She said she encountered the man again when she arrived and claims he groped her and left her bruised after pushing her to the ground.

The girl told officers: “He kept calling me baby and that made me very upset.

“He said come back to my house and I said no thank you.

“He said don’t tell your mum and dad they don’t need to know.

“I said they need to know what a 30 or 40 year old man was saying to me.”

The girl, now aged 15, also gave evidence at court and was asked by prosecutor Danielle McGuinness how she felt about the incident.

She sobbed as she said: “Really distressed about it, it’s really effected me. I’ve been to hospital about it.”

The trial continues before Sheriff Matthew Jackson QC.