Syrian refugee pleads not guilty in Falkirk assault trial

A Syrian refugee has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting two women in Falkirk during the early hours of a Sunday morning last November. Muhammad Sheikhi, 23, is on trial at Stirling Sheriff Court facing charges related to separate incidents said to have occurred on Kerse Lane in the town.

The court heard detailed evidence from a 21-year-old woman who testified that she encountered Sheikhi around 2:40 a.m. on November 30, 2025, as she walked home from a nightclub. She stated that Sheikhi, who was using a translation app on his phone, began following her despite her repeated pleas for him to leave her alone. The woman described a prolonged encounter during which, she alleged, Sheikhi removed her shoes, gave her his own, and then followed her to the Bellsmeadow skate park.

There, she testified, he pushed her against a tree and sexually assaulted her by grabbing her body under her clothing. She said she managed to break free and ran barefoot to a friend’s house. Video evidence presented to the jury included doorbell footage from approximately 3:27 a.m. showing the woman crouched on the ground, sobbing and repeatedly asking for her shoes back while telling Sheikhi to stop...