A MIDDLE-AGED man "touched up" a schoolgirl and performed sex acts on himself, a court was told.

A jury heard how the teenager confided in her schoolfriend and later started sobbing in a German lesson after the friend wrote a series of questions which she answered about David Hartley, 41, the man she says is responsible.

A teacher at their school said the alleged victim did not think her complaints would be believed and the youngster told Burnley Crown Court how she had felt she could not talk to her mum or dad and felt alone at home.

Hartley, of Berkley Crescent, Padiham, denies 13 allegations of indecent assault.

Giving evidence by video link, the alleged victim's friend said in October 1998 she and the girl had been sitting on a bus when she told her the defendant had been "touching her up."

The friend said the alleged victim told her that Hartley made her get undressed and lie on a bed and he would then perform a sex act. The friend said she and the complainant told a teacher together and police were informed but nothing formal happened.

Questioned by Robert Elias, prosecuting, the friend told the jury the alleged victim told her she did not like Hartley and that he was not nice to her.

The friend said that about a year ago she wrote out a letter of questions for the complainant to answer about the defendant in a German class and when the alleged victim finished writing her replies she was crying in class.

The friend said she left her to go and look for their head of year, but could not find her. She then went back to the teacher they had earlier seen and told her her concerns.

Joe Boyd, defending, suggested the complainant never mentioned that Hartley had touched her in 1998. The only time she mentioned any touching was two years later. The friend said that was not true.

Mr Boyd claimed the friend had prompted the alleged victim in the things she wanted her to say, but the friend replied; "No, I asked her." and added the complainant was not going to do anything about her allegations. She went on: "She wasn't going to press charges. I wanted her to press charges."

A head of year at a Burnley high school told the court she was told a man had " done things" to the girl.

The teacher said she contacted social services but the girl later told her she did not want to take the allegations any further. The girl's father was informed of the claims. A year ago, the friend went to see her about the girl again, the head of year was contacted and the girl spoken to.

Proceeding