A leading figure in Bristol’s Muslim community has appeared in court charged with three counts of rape.
Farooq Siddique formerly of the Bristol Muslim Society and an ex-government adviser on radicalisation, pleaded not guilty at Bristol Crown Court.
The 46-year-old from Easton also pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and one charge of making a threat to kill.
Speaking outside court he said the charges were “absolute nonsense”.
“These are allegation that are, in my view, worse than murder,” he claimed.
“You can’t say anything worse to a man than these kind of allegations. I’m utterly flabbergasted that it’s got this far.
“I’ll prove myself innocent.”
He was bailed and a trial date has been set for April.