A BARRISTER has lost his appeal against a conviction of indecently assaulting a young woman in the chambers library.

Fauz Mohammed Khan, 34, of Adelaide Terrace, Blackburn, lost the bid to clear his name at a hearing at Mold Crown Court.

He had appealed after Chester magistrates jailed him for four months for the offence last year.

The magistrates had freed him on bail pending the appeal, and at the crown court Judge Steven Clarke bailed him again after adjourning the case for sentence.

Khan, who is married and whose wife is pregnant, was based at the Central Chambers, Manchester.

He had denied the charge, and the hearing heard that Khan was described by colleagues as attentive, meticulous and an honourable man,

Nicholas Woodward, prosecuting, said the woman went to the chambers in September 1998.

He said Khan took her into the library where his questions about her sex life became outrageous and she was then indecently assaulted, said Mr Woodward. "The inference was that this was the ultimate test to see if she could go through the rigours of cross-examination," Mr Woodward said.

The woman told the court she froze when she was touched and could not believe what had happened.

She said: "I could not believe that a barrister, someone in his position, could do something like that."

Khan was one of the founder members of his chambers and his pregnant wife was in court to support him.

Judge Clarke said the case could have far reaching consequences.

Anne Rafferty QC, defending, said Khan's career was now in tatters as he would almost certainly be suspended or barred by the Bar Council.

Khan was bailed on condition he lived at his home in Blackburn and handed in his passport.

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