He founded community initiatives for children, but the “healthy face he presented to the outside world” also had a dark side.

A food stall owner collapsed to the ground during his arrest after being exposed as a sex offender. Abdulrahman Al-Nomire “presented a healthy face to the outside world” and was, among other things, the founder of several community initiatives for children and families.

But the businessman had a secret past: he had sexually abused a girl for years when she was only five years old. He cried uncontrollably when he was finally brought to court today.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday that the 41-year-old, of Wavertree Road, Edge Hill, “rubbed himself” on his victim in what was described as “simulated sexual intercourse”. The assaults lasted for around three years and left her feeling “unwell and anxious”.

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Prosecutor Ken Grant described how, years later, the plaintiff finally confided in her cousin, which is how her mother learned of the abuse. When police later spoke to him, Al-Nomire said the allegations were false because she “had stopped receiving food orders from the takeaways he owned.”

Defence lawyer Suzanne Payne told the court: “He has no previous convictions or warnings and has had a good reputation to date. Your Honour will see from sources that he is a founding member of a number of foundations within the Yemeni community in Liverpool which support families and young people in a variety of ways, including football and chess.”

“During his time in the Liverpool area he has built successful businesses. He is the owner of at least two fast food restaurants. He has worked long and hard to ensure the success of the businesses and to support his family.

“He has five children. Mr. Al-Nomire told me that his wife and their son have now returned to Yemen. It is his responsibility to maintain the financial support of his family. He also has two sisters who live in Yemen. One has five children, the other nine. Both sisters are widows, their husbands died in the same car accident a few years ago. He, as their brother, supports them financially.”

Al-Nomire, who was assisted by an Arabic interpreter during the hearing, was found guilty by a jury of three counts of sexual assault. Arriving at Liverpool Prison via video link, he put his head in his hands and began to wail when he was told he would have to sign the sex offenders’ register for life and be handed a restraining order and a sexual harm prevention order – both for 10 years.

The defendant became so emotional that Judge Brian Cummings KC called a recess in the middle of his verdict. Al-Nomire then fell from his chair in the video booth and continued to cry on the floor.

When the court reconvened, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison – a term of which he must serve at least two-thirds before being eligible for release – and a further four years’ probation. Passing sentence, Judge Cummings said: “These were not fleeting touches, but acts which lasted for several minutes.”

“It is clear that the offences have had a serious emotional and psychological impact on you. Several years have passed since the time of the offences and I acknowledge that you have not committed any further offences.

“It is no consolation to your victim or to the public that a man who commits a series of serious child abuse offences presents a completely different and much healthier face to the outside world. You continue to deny the crimes and show no compassion for the victims. Your attitude worries me.”