Scotland: Sikh priest convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in his temple room in Glasgow

Proceedings

1. 2011-02-01 · conviction at trial

   Glasgow Sheriff Court, Scotland (Sheriff Anthony Deutch). Surinder Singh, 53, a Sikh priest visiting Scotland from India and resident at the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, was found guilty after trial of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in his room at the temple on 15 January. The girl had been invited to the room under the pretext of receiving classical harmonium instruction; Singh touched her hands, attempted to kiss her on the mouth, and placed food in her mouth. The sheriff stated he found the Crown witnesses credible and rejected the accused's evidence as incredible. Sentence was deferred to the following month.

Documented coercion mechanisms

• priestly standing at the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple
• use of a private lesson (harmonium/classical music instruction) as the pretext to get the child alone in his room