A PREACHER who told a schoolgirl she should not have sex before marriage raped her three times, a court heard yesterday.

Born-again Christian Robin Brown, who is also accused of indecent assault, was the leader of a religious group when he repeatedly attacked the girl when she was 16 and 17.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 52-year-old groomed the girl until she was 16 before touching her on a number of occasions and then going on to rape her.

The prosecution allege Mr Brown began talking to the girl in an inappropriate manner and told her she was not serving God correctly.

As part of the Christian religion the teenager was told she should read the bible, only associate with Christians, not smoke or drink, not to have sex before marriage and not to marry a non-Christian.

David Hall, prosecuting, said: "He told her to not let other boys do anything to her or they would dump her.

"This conduct went on. The prosecution say, he was grooming her for his own benefit."

Mr Brown, of Shields Place, Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, denies three counts of rape between December 1996 and December 1997.

He has also pleaded not guilty to three specimen charges of indecent assault between December 1995 and February 2002.

The court heard the last time the preacher allegedly assaulted the girl was on Valentine's Day in 2002 when he touched her intimately.

On another occasion he pushed her against a door before forcing her to have sex with him on the floor despite her repeated requests for him to stop, the jury were told.

A week later he raped her again before kissing her on the head and said, 'Thank You.'

Mr Hall said: "During these assaults he used to tell her his favourite fantasies.

"None of the rapes were with any undue violence. It was by force of his personality that he forced her to have sexual intercourse with him even though she said no."

In February 2002 the victim reported the matters to the police and he was arrested and interviewed.

He told officers the girl's story was a complete fabrication and there was no word of truth in anything she said.

The trial continues.