An American company director who posed for a photograph with Barack Obama has appeared in court today charged with raping and molesting a 12-year-old girl in Brent.

John Mandeng allegedly attacked the child at an address in Willesden between January 2005 and December 2006.

The 47-year-old, who was extradited from America, appeared at Southwark Crown Court sporting a grey padded gillet over a grey prison-issue tracksuit.

He denied one charge of rape and two counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 13.

Mandeng, of no fixed address, is in custody and will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on December 14 for the five-day trial.

On his LinkedIn profile he boasts he is the executive director at Joman Group and his profile picture on the site and on social-networking website Twitter showed him posing with the US president.

Related link: Company director in court accused of raping girl, 12, in Willesden