Vintage Store owner convicted of sexually assaulting young woman.

The owner of The Vintage Store clothes business, Philip Waltham, has been convicted of sexually assaulting a young woman.

Waltham, 46, of Ella Street, Hull, was found guilty by a jury at Hull Crown Court after denying three counts of sexual assault.

The woman alleged that Waltham kissed her "full on" on the lips, grabbed her jacket and pulled her towards him, touching her waist and hips while saying "This is what you want," and placed her hand on his private parts.

She claimed she had "no romantic or sexual interest" in Waltham, while he maintained that there was no physical contact between them.

Recorder Simon Jackson KC, presiding over the trial, stated that the prosecution argued the kiss was "sexually motivated," while Waltham denied it ever happened.

Waltham was also cleared of a separate charge of intimidating a witness, another woman who had spoken to police about the alleged sexual assaults.

In his defence, Waltham told the jury he was in the "fashion business" and owned The Vintage Store, with multiple locations including Hull, Sheffield, Liverpool, and Newcastle.

He claimed that the woman's allegations were "lies" and that his company, Bulk Vintage Wholesale, was turning over more than £9m a year.

Sentence was adjourned for reports, and Waltham was granted bail until the next hearing. He will be required to register as a sex offender at the next hearing.

The conviction comes after Waltham made headlines last year for his story of overcoming homelessness and drug addiction to build a successful business. He had previously sold copies of the Big Issue in London for three years in the 1990s.