Men go on trial accused of 28 historical sex offences

A WICKERSLEY man accused of subjecting two girls to years of sexual abuse in the 1970s and 80s has gone on trial alongside his friend who is jointly charged with abusing one of the girls.

Mark Andrews (58), of Pinchfield Lane, is accused of 28 sexual offences against two girls between August, 1976 and June, 1984.

He is accused of raping one of the girls - who we will refer to as Girl A - when she was eight or nine-years-old.

His friend Mark Ainsworth (55), of Fir Walk, Maltby, is accused of eight joint offences against Girl B between July and August, 1978.

Andrews and Ainsworth are said to have involved a dog while they abused Girl B.

Neither Girl A, who is now 51, nor Girl B, who is now 55, can be identified for legal reasons.

Andrews would have been aged between 15 and 23 at the time of the abuse while Ainsworth would have been 14.

Ms Victoria Rose, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court today (Thursday) that Andrews would buy Girl A sweets and magazines and this led to him abusing her.

Andrews told the girl that he loved her and that this was what people did to show their love for one another, she said.

“When the incidents first started, when the sexual acts took place, Mr Andrews informed [Girl A] that was what people did and it was how it was shown that a person loved another,” said Ms Rose.

“When the abuse first started, [Girl A] questioned this.

“It’s from that point that she began to realise that what was taking place was wrong.”

Andrews kept Girl A quiet by telling her that if she ever told anyone of the abuse they would not believe her, said Ms Rose.

“He told her that she would be taken away and taken into care,” said Ms Rose.

Andrews said the same thing to Girl B and would use his abuse as a bargaining tool – telling her that if she did something for him he would not abuse her, Ms Rose said.

Andrews is accused of 25 counts of indecent assault, two counts of gross indecency with a child and one count of rape.

Ainsworth is jointly charged with eight counts of indecent assault.

Both men deny all of the charges.

The trial continues.