A 64-year-old man is alleged to have started sexually abusing a girl from the age of six, including tying her up in a shed and stripping her.

Leslie Belcher denies 14 counts against the same complainant in Worcester including multiple sexual assaults by touching, spanking her using a leather belt and one count of false imprisonment.

Belcher of St Clement's Close, St John's, Worcester appeared at Worcester Crown Court today (Tuesday) as his trial got underway, expected to last four or five days.

He denies 14 counts which include 10 counts of sexual assault upon a child under 13, one of sexual assault, one of false imprisonment, one of assault a child by penetration and one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The charges span a period between November 4, 2012 and July 8, 2020. Some of single counts include multiple occasions - 10 occasions where the same or similar behaviour is alleged to have occurred including intimate touching or spanking.

He is also alleged to have lifted up her top and assaulted her using his thumb.

Daniel Wright, prosecuting, opened the case and two video interviews were played to the jury, both recorded in July 2020.

Belcher was arrested on July 12, 2020 and gave a full comment interview, denying the allegations.

The prosecutor said the complainant was 'the subject of a series of sexual assaults by this defendant'.

Mr Wright described one alleged incident where she was 'taken to a shed in a field and tied up and undressed by the defendant'.

However, a woman arrived at the field near Worcester and 'interrupted' the assault and 'nothing more happened'.

"All of this came to light when the complainant could bear it no longer" said Mr Wright.

He said she had sent a Facebook message to her then boyfriend, telling him: "There's one secret I can't tell anyone. It has scarred me since it started to when it stopped. It will continue to mess with my head the rest of my life."

She said if she told anyone it would 'potentially lead to someone being imprisoned' and she was 'petrified because the police will get involved'.

However, the boyfriend's mother alerted the complainant's mother and the police became involved.

Mr Wright said of the complainant: "She said she was too scared to tell anyone what has happened. The defendant had told her not to tell anyone or he would get in really bad trouble."

The trial continues.