'Misogynist' barber groped two young women in worrying incidents

Ahmad Yazdanymoonaky smacked one victim on the bottom and grabbed another by the hips while he rubbed his groin against her during separate attacks.

The 49-year-old, of Jubilee Road, Gosforth, Newcastle, who has run barber shops in North and South Tyneside, denied two charges of sexual assault but was found guilty by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

At his sentence hearing today the court heard statements from the victims, read by prosecutor Gavin Doig.

One said: "What happened to me has made me feel vulnerable.

"No girl should ever be made to feel the way I did."

The second woman said she worries a similar thing could happen to her again.

She said in her statement: "He made me feel like it was partly my fault because of the way I dressed etc."Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Yazdanymoonaky to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements and sex offender treatment programme.

He must sign the sex offenders register for ten years and pay each victim £400 compensation.Judge Rippon told him: "I found, during the course of the trial, that your attitude to females is misogynistic and your sense of entitlement offensive and unpleasant."

The judge added that Yazdanymoonaky appeared to not understand what he did wrong and told him: "I can only hope that changes."

Shaun Routledge, defending, said Yazdanymoonaky has a "slow-burn acceptance" that what he did was not acceptable.

Mr Routledge added: "He has lost his good name.

"He apologises, through me, to these ladies."