A MAN accused of raping a young girl when he was a teenager used innocent play for “much more sinister reasons”, a court heard.

Adam Blake, also known as Adam Harris, aged 28 and of Oldfield Road, Bishopdown Farm, denies raping a child under 13 along with three counts of indecent assault and indecency towards a child between 2001 and 2004.

Salisbury Crown Court heard on Monday that one of Blake’s alleged victims had come forward more than a decade after the alleged crime following a conversation with her mother and sister.

Prosecuting, Rebecca Austin said: “She thought she was about eight years of age and she thought he was about 13 to 14.”

The court heard that Blake was accused of indecently assaulting the girl while playing a game on an old mattress outside.

In a second alleged incident Blake was in a garden shed belonging to the girl’s family when he “put his tongue in her mouth then he put his hand down her trousers”, the court heard.

The alleged victim told police that she felt horrible when it happened.

In cross examination by defence barrister Frank Abbott, the girl’s mother said the family had not owned a shed until 2008 – several years after the incident is alleged to have taken place.

It is also claimed that Blake raped another girl in a park close to her house after the pair went on a bike ride.

Today (Wednesday) the jury heard Blake had led the alleged victim into some bushes.

In a police interview the girl said she had “tried to forget” about the alleged incident and decided to come forward because she had “had enough”.

“I thought I needed to get some help”, she added, but in cross examination it was revealed she had not sought counselling after reporting the alleged incident to police.

And Blake is accused of indecently assaulting another girl who “could have been as young as four”, the court heard.

It is claimed that Blake invited the girl into his house to watch television before the alleged assault took place.

Mr Abbott, defending, said Blake only used his television to play Xbox games and never to watch programmes.

It also alleged that Blake exposed himself to the same victim after she was lured to a slide by the sight of a teddy bear.

Mr Abbott said the alleged victims had known each other and the offences did not happen.

Speaking to one of the alleged victims he said: “It is my client’s case that he never played with you in the way you suggest and the incidents you describe never happened.”

The trial continues.