Restaurant Owner Found Guilty of Sexually Assaulting Teen Workers
A 12-member jury found Gunaseelan Manoharan, owner of the Horsham Indian fusion restaurant Rooh, guilty of four counts of sexual assault against a child under 16 and one count of sexual assault against an adult victim. Manoharan was charged with one count of false imprisonment and six counts of sexual assault. He faces up to 10 years behind bars for the offenses, which are considered severe and carry significant penalties. The jury's verdict came after a two-week trial in Ballarat's County Court, where the judge praised the panel for their dedication and thorough review of the evidence.
Key Takeaways:
- Gunaseelan Manoharan, owner of Rooh restaurant, was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault against a child under 16 and one count of sexual assault against an adult victim.
- Manoharan was charged with one count of false imprisonment and six counts of sexual assault, and faces up to 10 years behind bars.
- The jury heard evidence that Manoharan would touch his teenage staff under the guise of cleaning their uniform, and that he used this excuse to commit the assaults.
- The prosecution argued that Manoharan "knew what he was doing" and used the excuse of dirty uniforms to cover up his criminality.
- One of the adult victims quit the restaurant shortly after the alleged incident, while another was allegedly hugged and kissed by Manoharan despite her initial reservations.
- Manoharan was granted bail and will return to court on September 18 for sentencing, where the judge is expected to impose a combined sentence due to the severity of the offenses.
Statistics:
- 4 counts of sexual assault against a child under 16
- 1 count of sexual assault against an adult victim
- 6 counts of false imprisonment and sexual assault combined
- Up to 10 years jail time for the offenses
- 2-week trial in Ballarat's County Court
- 12-member jury panel
- 4-1 ratio of guilty verdicts to acquittals
Sources:
- Amy Roulston (Byline) - court report