A strictly-Orthodox Brooklyn counsellor is standing trial in the Brooklyn Supreme Court charged with 88 counts of sexual assault on a minor.

Nechemya Weberman, 54, has been accused of forcing a girl of only 12 to perform oral sex on him when she was sent to him for counselling for being rebellious.

The girl, who is now 17, was sent to Mr Weberman for failing to follow the rules of the strictly-Orthodox Satmar group. The court heard how her parents were angry because she read Cosmopolitan magazine and wore tights that were not thick enough.

The rabbi denies the accusations.

The Satmar Chasidic community has rallied around the defendant, insisting on his innocence, and have raised money to pay for his legal fees.