A SCHOOLGIRL was molested by a religious teacher after he was invited into her home to help her study the Koran, a court heard.

Inayat Patel, aged 29, sexually assaulted the 11-year-old on a daily basis over a six month period during the so-called lessons, jurors were told.

Patel, of Skeffington Road, East Ham, London, denies six counts of indecent assault. He has been living in Headingley Way, Bolton, as a condition of his bail.

Patel allegedly abused the father's trust by molesting the girl in the sitting room which had been set aside for daily lessons.

Simeon Hopkins, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was trusted and had the room to himself and the door was closed so they would not be disturbed."

When her parents confronted Patel at their house, he picked up the Koran and swore he had not molested the girl. The Koran was then thrust into the girl's hands, who swore what she had told her parents was the truth.

Mr Hopkins said: "She was brought up in a strict Muslim household where the parents were extremely careful of their children and the way in which they brought them up."

Proceeding