Denial of Allegations: Man Accused of Assaulting Teenager in Abandoned Club

A man appeared in court today (Wednesday) where he denied allegations of raping and sexually assaulting a 15-year old boy in a derelict Belfast nightclub.

Charges and Court Appearance
Ziad Khawla, an asylum seeker from Palestine with an address at Ashburne Mews in Belfast, was charged with three offenses dating back to last March.

Plea and Trial Date Set
The 26-year old appeared at Belfast Crown Court and entered ‘not guilty’ pleas via an Arabic interpreter. Khawla denied the charges of rape and two counts of sexual assault on the same date. The case review is set for April 8 to fix a trial date with Judge Sandra Crawford overseeing.

Background and Alleged Incident
The teenager alleged being approached near the Waterfront Hall and then escorted to the disused nightclub where the assault occurred. After entering his pleas, Khawla was released on continuing bail pending trial.

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