Preston sex assault trial: Man, 54, denies attacking girl
A man allegedly plied the girl with cannabis, cigarettes and money before sexually assaulting her, a court has been told.
Lawyers have started summing up in the case of Paul Terence Simpson, 54, who is accused of abusing a 17-year-old girl.
Simpson, of Queensway, Ashton-on-Ribble, denies the offence and is on trial at Preston Crown Court.
The complainant, now an adult, gave evidence from behind screens during the trial.
The woman said she “became accustomed” to the “casual way” the defendant would behave.
The court was previously told Simpson had gone into a bathroom while the girl was bathing and passed comments about her “development”.
On other occasions he had slapped her bottom, and encouraged her to show him her breasts.
Simpson denies the offence ever occurred.
In evidence he admitted he had convictions for cultivating cannabis and fraud - but none for sexual offences.
The defence say the reason for the length of time that has passed since the alleged offence, which is historic in nature, is because it isn’t true.
(proceeding)