A YOUNGSTER claimed to have been raped once a month for two years by a former aide to Prime Minister Tony Blair, a court heard yesterday.

The young man, who is serving life imprisonment for murder, was giving evidence in the trial of Martyn Locklin, a senior Labour councillor in Mr Blair's Sedgefield constituency, at Teesside Crown Court.

Mr Locklin, 41, of Ladybower, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, faces three counts of indecent assault against one boy, and two counts of indecent assault against another.

He also faces a charge involving a serious sexual assault, two counts of rape and one of indecent assault against a third boy.

The Sedgefield borough and Great Aycliffe town councillor denies all the charges, which were alleged to have taken place between 1988 and 1996.

Yesterday, the court heard from former employees of Aycliffe Young People's Centre, where Mr Locklin was employed during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and where one alleged victim claimed to have been sexually assaulted.

Two former night watchmen who worked with Mr Locklin claimed the councillor had smoked cannabis while caring for youngsters at the centre.

And one alleged victim told the court he was raped and sexually assaulted by Mr Locklin weekly for two years while he was aged between 15 and 17.

He said Mr Locklin would give him alcohol and cannabis before sexually assaulting him.

Now in his 20s, he said: "I felt helpless, ashamed and frightened."

The man, serving a life sentence for murder, said the abuse ended when he pulled a knife on the councillor and ran off.

Tim Roberts, for Mr Locklin, put it to the man that he had lied to a jury during his murder trial and committed perjury, which the man admitted.

Before he had met Mr Locklin, he had been involved in sexual behaviour with a 63-year-old man.

Earlier, the court heard how Mr Locklin was a "strong and manipulative character".

After leaving the centre, Mr Locklin immersed himself in local politics and by the time he was charged in May he was leader of Great Aycliffe Town Council.

The prosecution claims he abused his position of trust while working as a care worker at the home.

The trial continues