Accused denies sex assault on Leicester fast-food shop assistant

A man accused of sexually assaulting a shop assistant told a jury he never molested her.

The alleged victim claimed Maciej Skowronski indecently touched her in the store room of a city centre fast-food outlet while she was working there alone, at 6am on August 17.

She screamed for help and the man eventually ran off, leaving her shocked and distraught, it was claimed.

Skowronski (22), a Polish national, of Hamilton Street, Leicester, denies sexual assault.

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Giving evidence in his defence through an interpreter, he said he was on his way home from a night out when he went into the shop to use the toilet.

He then went to look for the shop assistant and found her in a store room, where she demanded he leave.

He told the jury of seven men and five women: "I didn't do anything wrong, apart from the fact I was drunk and I scared her."

He said he told her: "I smoke heroin.

"Help me, can you give me some money or change?"

He denied saying she was "beautiful" and "you need me" as the alleged victim claimed.

Skowronski said she slapped his face and began screaming.

He held her wrists with both hands, trying to explain he wanted some money.

He said he thought there might be "valuable belongings" in the store room.

Skowronski told the jury he spoke little English and said: "I realised she wouldn't listen to me and I couldn't communicate with her, so I ran off."

He said he had come to the United Kingdom 18 months ago and initially worked as a packer.

He was living with his Polish girlfriend in Leicester at the time of the alleged offence.

He denied indecently touching the alleged victim under her clothing, as she had claimed.

Nothing sexual happened, he said.

The defendant said that a police appeal, with a CCTV photograph of him, was issued after the incident.

He said someone hacked into his Facebook account and posted the image and press report of the alleged assault on his profile, adding comments.

He denied posting it on his own profile, saying: "It wouldn't make sense for me to do that.

"Those photographs have destroyed my life in Poland. I'm innocent."

He said he later gave himself up to the police because he "hadn't done anything wrong".

He said: "There were plenty of ways to escape, but I was innocent so I turned up."

The jury was expected to retire to consider a verdict today.