16-year-old denies knife sex attack

A sixteen-year-old schoolboy at an Ipswich school indecently assaulted a fellow pupil at knifepoint during a lunchtime break, a court heard today.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pinned the girl against the wall of his home and forced his hand down her trousers, after the pair had played PlayStation.

Opening the prosecution of the case, Anthony Bate said " The girl had visited the defendant's home shortly before the summer holidays last year. As she describes it they were 'just good friends'. She went to his flat and played PlayStation in his room. He came up behind her and put his hands around her shoulders and began to touch her breasts. She asked him to stop and he apologised."

As the girl made to pick up her school bag from the hall he appeared at the top of the stairs brandishing a white handled knife.

Mr Bate went on "He pinned her up against the wall, unzipped her trousers and put his hand inside her pants. She cried but he put the knife to her face, telling her not to tell anyone."

The girl returned to school.

The boy, denies indecent assault, saying he merely massaged the girl's neck as she played on the computer.

He also denies one count of intimidating a witness and two further charges of common assault.

The court heard how, following the alleged assault, the boy tried to intimidate his victim – who reported the incident to police on September 5 – and her friend, texting her with the message "I know you have told someone, I know what college you go to. I know what time you finish. I have got my knife with me."

In two further incidents, on October 8 and 14 the defendant allegedly hit both his alleged victim and her friend warning them not to speak of the incident.

The case continues.