AN ABINGDON man has denied carrying out a campaign of sexual abuse against a five-year old girl.

Raymond Lorenz, of Lyford Close, Drayton, Abingdon, is charged with two counts of assault by penetration, two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.

The offences are alleged to have taken place numerous times during the 2000s on the girl who cannot be named for legal reasons while she was aged between five and nine years old.

Oxford Crown Court heard as the 68-year old's trial began yesterday that the allegations only came to light when a school safeguarding officer reported suspicions to the police.

Opening the trial prosecutor Michael Roques told the jury of six men and six women: "These allegations are by their very nature emotive, it is difficult when one hears allegations of this type not to become emotionally involved in the case."

He said that the girl had told her mum first about the incidents more than a decade after the alleged ordeal before telling her friends which is when the police became involved and arrested Lorenz.

Mr Roakes added: "She has been making a number of disclosures for a number of years, her mum, her friends and police, and she is going to come to court and tell you so if she has made this up it is a very long time coming."

He added that when arrested by police Lorenz told officers he had done nothing wrong and he denies all of the charges.

The trial continues.