A religious leader has avoided a jail sentence after twice groping a woman on two separate occasions, a court heard.

Hafiz Abbasi, 32, was given a 12-month community order after being found guilty of sexual assault during a hearing at Manchester magistrates’ court .

Abbasi was an imam at the Minhaj-ul-Qur’an Central Mosque in Withington Road, Whalley Range . He is currently suspended from his post.

The court heard that the offences related to incidents in October 21 and 29 last year, when Abbasi touched a woman’s buttocks on each occasion.

In the first incident, the court heard how he approached the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and deliberately brushed against her body for “five seconds or so”.

Prosecuting, Kate Gaskell said the woman was “very scared” and became very hot.

He tried to change the conversation and went into another room but the woman refused, when she finally turned away she felt his fingers on her buttock, the court was told.

She said she froze and felt hot and very sick, and was “rooted to the spot”, before eventually managing to flee.

On the second occasion, the woman again met with Abbasi, this time accompanied by another man.

But when the other man left, the woman felt Abbasi touching her “two or three times”.

In an emotional victim impact statement the woman read out in court, she said she has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.

She said: “You changed everything in my life.

“You tried to destroy who and what I am by your sick actions. You shattered my confidence and mentally and physically disturbed me.”

Abbasi, of Deer Park Road, Whalley Range, was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault following a trial before magistrates.

Defending, Ben Kaufman said that Abbasi, who came to the UK from Pakistan in October 2014, still denies the offences and is seeking to lodge an appeal.

He said: “Within the Asian community this type of allegation has had even more of an impact upon Mr Abbasi and his family in their day-to-day activities.

“Since his conviction he has become extremely reclusive and stays at home. As a man who has studied all his life and dedicated to his faith he now feels completely lost.”

Deputy district judge Owen Jones said: “Most of the others in your community supported you all along and now there’s no reason at all for anyone to doubt you.”

Abbasi was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,000 in compensation.