Ricardo Audish faces trial for Lugarno pizza shop attack on teen girl

A man who allegedly raped a teenager in a pizza shop will face court this week.

A two-week trial for a man accused of drugging and raping a teen girl in a southwest Sydney pizza shop is due to begin tomorrow.

Ricardo Audish - who is on bail - pleaded not guilty at an earlier court appearance to sexually assaulting an 18-year-old at Lugarno pizzeria on a Saturday night in October, 2016.

He was aged 38 at the time of the alleged incident and the three co-offenders were children.

Ricardo Audish at Downing Court on Tuesday. Picture: John Grainger

The co-accused pleaded not guilty to the same charges. They cannot legally be named, because they were under 18 at the time of the alleged assault.

The trial set to start on Monday has been stalled to Wednesday as the District Court attempts to find a judge available for two weeks.

Judge Dina Yehia told the court on Monday the trial would run for 10 to 15 days, with a “fair bit” of evidence to be heard.

Ricardo Audish. Picture: John Grainger

The jury is expected to be chosen on Wednesday, with opening statements to follow.

It will be followed by a single trial for the co-offenders, who are due to appear in court for a mention on March 8.

Audish will be assisted by an Arab interpreter.

Police allege the girl met up with a 17-year-old boy known to her, before they went to the Forest Rd restaurant at about 8pm.

They will say the pair met with Audish, another 17-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy.

Police will allege she was raped by Audish - now in his early 40s - and the boys.

They dropped her in the Riverwood CBD about an hour later. A passer-by found her and she was taken to Liverpool Hospital.