A British Telecom employee took a 14-year-old schoolgirl to a telephone exchange he worked at and sexually abused her, a jury was told.

John Hemming allegedly committed the crime in the 1980s but it only came to light in February this year.

The victim, now in her 40s, made the revelation to her mother. The women confronted Hemming at his home in Tennyson Close, Worcester, in February, said prosecutor Matthew Barnes.

Hemming, now 70, is said to have remarked: "I hope you didn't exaggerate."

Mr Barnes told Worcester Crown Court that the pensioner's comment was a "telling response" because it was not a denial of his criminal behaviour.

He claimed Hemming was responsible for a number of sex offences against the victim between October 1980 and October 1982 when she was either 13 or 14.

Hemming denies seven counts of indecent assault and insists his accuser is a liar who invented her complaints.

Referring to the telephone exchange incident, Mr Barnes said Hemming touched the girl's naked body after pulling down her underwear.

Fortunately, it ended when they were disturbed by someone else arriving on the scene.

Mr Barnes alleged that other abuse included Hemming fondling the girl's breasts and getting her to perform a sex act on him.

He said the girl was given sweets, fizzy drinks and sips of cider so that the defendant could "achieve his sexual desires".

The girl kept the attacks secret because she was young and subjected to unpleasant threats.

She believed that she had sent Hemming a postcard showing Rodin's famous sculpture "The Kiss" while a child.

On the reverse in a child's hand were the words: "This is what you like."

Mr Barnes said it was significant that Hemming chose to keep the postcard for many years.

Police recovered the card from a briefcase found at his home but he refused to answer questions about it, said Mr Barnes.

Twice-wed Hemming also declined to answer questions about the other sexual complaints during an interview.

The trial continues.