Darlington man has denied sexually abusing young girl

Ben Collinson accepts that he wrote "I’m a paedo and proud" in a message to the alleged victim’s mother but told police officers he was just being "absurd" and there was no sexual abuse of the young girl.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 46-year-old is accused of lifting up the youngster’s nightwear before carrying out the sexual assault.

Giving evidence, Collinson told the jury that it never took place.

His barrister, Adrian Eissa KC, quizzed his client about the allegation made by the youngster.

He asked: “Did you go in, put the light on your phone on... and touch her in the way she has suggested?”

Collinson replied: “No.”

He told the jury that at the time of the alleged offence, he was 18 stone and the cabin bed was quite old and rickety.

Collinson said he was unaware of any problem between the child and himself.

Jurors watched a video filmed more than a year after the alleged sexual assault, where the man and his alleged victim were playing a prank by switching a light on and off while he was using the toilet.

Mr Eissa asked Collinson about a series of messages that were sent between the child’s mother and himself, where he wrote "I’m a paedo and proud" and calling the youngster the "prettiest".

The barrister asked: “When the mum says ‘she is but she is not available for dating’ – is that something you took seriously? That she thought you wanted to date her daughter because you found her pretty?”

Collinson replied: “No.”

The prosecution allege that Collinson carried out the sexual assault while he was holding a torch before telling her ‘not to tell anyone’.

See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here

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Earlier in the trial, the jury heard how the alleged sex attack took place more than a decade ago.

During the alleged victim's recorded police interview, she said she knew what he was doing was wrong, but she didn’t know how wrong at the time.

Collinson, of Newton Lane, Darlington, denies one charge of sexual assault on a child.

The trial continues.