JURORS have heard allegations that a man used games, dens and sweets to convince a young girl to commit indecent acts with him on regular basis.

Raymond Anthony Tunstall Jr, 59, stands trial accused of eight counts of serious sexual offences, including attempted rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child across a three-year period dating back to the 1970s.

The Darlington man was a teenager at the time of the alleged assaults.

Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday that Mr Tunstall was first interviewed about the historic offences in 2017, with the claims against him coming to light one year earlier.

The jury were shown a lengthy police interview of the complainant describing the incidents, all said to have taken place in Darlington.

In the interview, the woman said she felt “dirty”, adding: “He told me I couldn’t tell anyone because no one would believe me.”

The woman stated she was made to feel cared for by Mr Tunstall who showed an interest in her and would offer to take her for days out when no-one else would.

While speaking to investigating officers, the woman disclosed she remembered regular attacks taking place in Darlington’s South Park, in a shed and in a den hidden in woodland near Croft.

She said: “I became very withdrawn and very nervous when he’d ask me to go out with him, but then when he did get me to come out, it was always a different him – he said we’d get some sweets and I never believed he would do what he did to me.”

The woman told police she had not discussed the historic abuse with anyone before making a formal statement, adding: “It’s made me the person I am today because I’ve carried it forward with me. As I’ve gotten older, I understand what was happening and that it was wrong.”

Mr Tunstall denies all allegations against him.

The trial is expected to last three days and will continue today.