Ex Layer de la Haye Village Store worker accused of rape

Christopher White, 37, is accused of taking three children into the storeroom of Layer Village Store in Layer de La Haye, which is now under new ownership, and sexually abusing them.

A trial into the alleged offences, said to have taken place between 2007 and 2009, opened at Chelmsford Crown Court this afternoon.

Emma Nash, prosecuting, said White was an employee at the village shop at the time and was aged between 20 and 23 during the suggested period of incidents.

Historic - the alleged offences took place between 2007 and 2009 (Image: Google)

She told the jury White, who no longer works there, began grooming the girls by spotting them ten or 20 pence whenever they were short for purchases.

“He would say: ‘It’s OK, take more sweets than that. Take more chocolate than that, it’s OK.’ He would give them away for free or top them up,” said Ms Nash.

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“As time went on that developed, it developed into giving them cigarettes and alcohol as well.”

The prosecutor told the court White would later go on to say: “If you’ve got no money you can do something else for me instead, there is other ways to pay.”

Trial - Christopher White is standing trial at Chelmsford Crown Court (Image: ANDRA MACIUCA)

She alleged the payment the defendant would then request would be sexual favours.

The court heard White would allegedly take the individual victims into the storeroom and put the chain across the door.

Things would then progress from kissing to the shopworker getting the girls to perform sex acts on him, the prosecution said.

Another alleged incident took place when White invited a girl round to a property he was housesitting.

Former employee - Layer Village Store (Image: Google)

“If one of the victims said anything he would say he’d tell her mum she had been smoking,” added Ms Nash.

A police interview read to the court revealed White had denied giving the complainants free or discounted items or asked for sexual favours.

White, of Mill Lane, Birch, denies three offences of sexual activity with a child, two offences of sexual assault of a child and two offences of rape of a child.

• The trial, which is expected to last five days, continues.

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