AN ALRESFORD man tied down and raped a girl in one of a string of serious sexual attacks on her, a court has heard.

A Winchester Crown Court jury was this week told how Peter Burns, 47, assaulted his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in a number of locations in the town including in his car and a shed.

Giving evidence, the youngster said that she had wept throughout Burns’ attacks, which had left her depressed and suicidal: “I was scared, I didn’t want to sleep at night. It would drive me to the brink on insanity.”

She said on the last occasion he shackled her: “I said he was a monster. I cried, I told him to stop. I said I hated him.”

Prosecuting counsel Stephen Parish said that when Burns was arrested police found black, buckled restraints, similar to the ones described by the alleged victim, at his home.

Burns, formerly of Windsor Road, Alresford, denies three counts of rape, four of sexual assault and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Proceeding.