A MAN has appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting three teenage girls and abusing his ex partner. 

Michael Mowles allegedly followed and stared at a 13-year-old girl in Barrhead, before embracing her and making an inappropriate comment towards the teen.

Court papers claim that the 30-year-old sexually assaulted the first of three teenagers, all 15 years old, by inducing her to drink alcohol, repeatedly attempting to engage her in conversation and repeatedly taking hold of and embracing her.

In the charge, it is claimed that during the incident between March 4 and 5 last year at an address in Dumbarton Mr Mowles lay next to her on a bed, placed his arm across her breasts, repeatedly placed his leg across her body, repeatedly touched her legs and on numerous occasions attempted to touch her genital area.

He reportedly took hold of her neck, tickled and touched the teenager on the body, kissed her face, followed her and attempted to kiss her on the mouth. 

Then the charge states that for obtaining sexual gratification he reportedly tried to induce her to go upstairs to engage in sexual activity, uttered sexual comments to her, repeatedly winked and whistled at her and repeatedly whispered in her ear.

In the same time period and place Mr Mowles allegedly sexually assaulted the second victim by touching her leg, seizing hold of her face and attempting to kiss the 15-year-old on the mouth and kissing her on the face.

And on March 4 last year at the same Dumbarton property, court papers claim that he repeatedly embraced his third victim, led her to a secluded grass area near to the house, lay on top of her, pulled down her lower clothing and touched her genitals.

Mr Mowles also faces separate charges of assaulting his former partner the next day by allegedly seizing hold of her and repeatedly punching her on the head whilst on bail from Dumbarton Sheriff Court in November 2020.

Then on the same date, he is alleged to have assaulted a child by repeatedly punching her on the head and butting her on the head.

He pleaded not guilty to all six charges at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on November 23.

His defence solicitor said: “He appears to be heading in the right direction and getting [an] assessment completed.”

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry has deferred the next hearing until early in 2023.