Child sex abuse trial: Defendant denies Ulley Country Park abduction

A MAN accused of abducting a girl and sexually abusing her in a country park 16 years ago has told a jury the complainant "was lying then and is lying now".

A MAN accused of abducting a girl and sexually abusing her in a country park 16 years ago has told a jury the complainant "was lying then and is lying now".

The defendant - who cannot be named for legal reasons - is on trial at Sheffield Crown Court accused of three counts of rape and one of child abduction.

He and seven other men are standing trial at the court accused of 27 counts of child sexual exploitation offences allegedly committed between 1998 and 2005.

The charges are part of Operation Stovewood, the National Crime Agency's investigation into historic CSE in Rotherham.

The 39-year-old defendant denies raping a 15-year-old girl between September 2002 and December 2002 near the KP Nuts Factory and, on a separate occasion, by an old building near Clifton Park.

He also denies abducting the girl, taking her to Ulley Country Park, and raping her.

The man would have been 23 years old at the time of the alleged incidents.

Giving evidence last Friday, the man told jurors that he knew of the girl in 2002 because she used to walk past his house “causing trouble”.

“I didn’t know her name at the time,” he said.

“There were lots of them (walking past my house) — lads and girls.”

The man said the girl would walk past his house and kick his fence — probably about twice a week.

He said the girl would ask him to buy her alcohol and cigarettes but he refused.

His defence counsel, Ms Amanda Denton, said: “Have you ever been in a sexual relationship with (the girl) either in 2002 or at any other time?”

The man said: “Never, ever, in my entire life, no.”

Ms Denton said: “Have you ever forced, pushed or dragged (the girl) into a car you have driven, at night, and taken her to the KP factory?”

The man said: “No, never.”

Ms Denton continued: “Did you drag her into your car outside her house and abduct her in the way she described?”

The man said: “No.”

Under cross-examination, the man said he was someone who “kept himself to himself” around the time of the alleged incidents, going to work, the gym and back home.

Prosecutor Ms Michelle Colborne said two girls, including the complainant, had told a charity in December 2002 that they were involved with him.

He said: “It’s a lie.

“She was lying then and she’s lying now.”

Ms Colborne asked the man whether the girl had asked him to buy cigarettes for her.

He said: “Yes.”

Ms Colborne said: “She came into Asda and wanted you to buy booze for her — so you can be sure she was underage?”

The man said: “Yes.”

Ms Colborne said: “Making a fool of herself?”

The man said: “Yes.”

Ms Colborne said: “And obviously a kid really?”

The man said: “Yes.”

The men deny all the offences. The trial continues.

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