A MARRIED 32-year-old man who had sex with a 14-year-old girl yesterday denied having an “unhealthy interest” in young teens.

Assad Hussain, speaking from the Old Bailey witness box, admitted having sex with the underage girl, but claims she told him she was 17 and there was a “mutual attraction” between them.

He is one of nine men charged with running a child sex exploitation gang in Oxford.

The former taxi driver told the jury he had sex with the alleged victim, known as Girl 5, in December 2011 at garages near Domino’s Pizza where he was working.

Police later found his DNA in her underwear, the court heard.

He said: “Obviously, I didn’t know she was 14 at the time. We just had a mutual attraction towards each other."”

The BMW plant worker said he first saw Girl 5 at the Nanford Guest House when he went to see “close friend” and fellow defendant Anjum Dogar. He said they “caught each other’s eyes” in Cowley Road about a week later and swapped mobile numbers.

He told the jury he had “shared” cocaine with her and bought her drinks. However, he said: “In my presence she was never heavily induced with alcohol or drugs.” He also said Girl 5 never told him she lived in a children’s home.

He said he felt “betrayed” and “upset” when he found out she was underage when police arrested him in March last year.

However, prosecutor Neil Moore said Hussain, who is known as “Ash”, must have known her age.

The court also heard the girl and Hussain exchanged more than 200 text messages in a weekend.

Mr Moore, cross-examining, said: “At not one stage did you get the inkling you were talking to a 14- year-old girl, who I suggest would be interested in 14-year-old girl things?” Hussain said: “No, never.”

Mr Moore later said: “This is codswallop isn’t it? You were interested in (Girl 5) sexually because she was such a young age."”

Hussain said: “That’s not true. I believed her to be 17.” Hussain, of Ashhurst Way in Rose Hill, is also accused of raping Girl 1 between 2004 and 2007 when she was aged between 13 and 15. He denies ever meeting her.

He was also accused of having sex with Girl 3 when she was underage but the charge was dropped last week when Judge Peter Rook told the jury to return a not guilty verdict as not enough evidence had been put forward.

He told the jury: “They have put me in times and places I have not been. I have got common Asian features. It’s very easy for them to make a mistake.”

However, Mr Moore said he was lying, adding: “You have an unhealthy interest young teenage girls.”

Hussain replied: “That’s not true at all."”

The defendants deny all the charges. The trial continues.

The defendants are:

  • Kamar Jamil, 27, of Aldrich Road, Summertown, Oxford, denies five rapes, two charges of conspiracy to rape, one of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, and one of trafficking for sexual exploitation.
  • Akhtar Dogar, 32, of Tawney Street, East Oxford, denies five rapes, three charges of conspiracy to rape, two of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, and trafficking for sexual exploitation.
  • Anjum Dogar, 31, of Tawney Street, East Oxford, denies three rapes, three charges of conspiracy to rape, two of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, and trafficking for sexual exploitation.
  • Assad Hussain, 32, of Ashhurst Way, Rose Hill, Oxford, denies rape and two charges of sexual activity with a child.
  • Mohammed Karrar, 38, of Cowley Road, Oxford, denies seven rapes, four charges of conspiracy to rape, two of trafficking for sexual exploitation, two of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, a serious assault, conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child, using an instrument to procure a miscarriage, and supplying a Class A drug to another.
  • Bassam Karrar, 33, of no fixed address, denies three rapes, three charges of conspiracy to rape, two charges of arranging or facilitating child prostitution, and trafficking for sexual exploitation.
  • Mohammed Hussain, 24, of Horspath Road, Cowley, Oxford, denies three charges of sexual activity with a child.
  • Zeeshan Ahmed, 27, of Palmer Road, Wood Farm, Oxford, denies two charges of sexual activity with a child.
  • Bilal Ahmed, 26, of Suffolk Road, Maidenhead, denies sexual activity with a child.