A GRAYS man pleaded not guilty to two charges of child sexual abuse on Tuesday at his trial at Basildon Crown Court.

Robert Kevin Phillips, 60, of Ireton Place, Grays, has been charged with two counts of sexual activity with a child aged 13.

The offences are alleged to have taken place in the Thurrock district between December 1 and December 31 2012 when the defendant was 56 years old.

Phillips is accused of touching his alleged victim’s private parts in one incident and also attempting to kiss her with “an open mouth”.

The court heard how Phillips, who was close to the alleged victim’s family, had taken her on shopping trips after she had expressed troubles over her relationship with her real father after her mother remarried.

Phillips and the alleged victim went on Christmas present shopping trips to Lakeside and also to Kent, where the accused let her try on a dress which he said she looked “gorgeous” in, according to her statement.

Prosecutor Nicola May, acting for the Crown, opened the hearing by arguing that Phillips could not reasonably believe the alleged victim, who was 13 at the time of the offences, was over 18 years old.

Miss May said: “The defendant took an interest in her and asked her if she would like to go out shopping. At first she thought everything was alright and he was being nice and kind.“She described on the journey on the first shopping trip to Lakeside that he put his hand over from the driver’s side onto her side of the car and used his hand to rub her leg from her knee up to her thigh.

“She described being uncomfortable and pushed him off and crossed her legs to stop it happening again.

“The crown say there is no reason for him to touch her and there was a sexual purpose in mind.

“One of the things the defendant said to her is that he told her not to tell anyone. ”

“When asked about his relationship with the defendant, Phillips said he found her attractive but she wouldn’t be that sort of girl because he had been married for 30 years.”

Her Honour Judge Leigh urged the jury to keep an open mind and not to post requests for opinions on Facebook, an act which had landed one young woman on jury service a six-month jail sentence.

The trial was set to continue yesterday.