A 37-year-old man is on trial accused of sexually assaulting a girl in a tent by the canal on a night fishing trip more than 15 years ago.

Steven Baxter is also alleged to have abused the child on repeated occasions at his then flat in Windhill, Shipley, a jury at Bradford Crown Court was told yesterday.

Baxter, of Valley View, Baildon, denies ten charges, including five allegations of indecent assault, four of indecency with a child and one of attempting to rape a girl under 16.

Prosecutor Nick Askins said all the accusations related to one girl and were said to have happened between 1995 and 1998 when she was aged between 11 and 13.

Mr Askins said the first time Baxter indecently assaulted the girl was when she was with a party of friends on a night fishing trip by the canal.

She told the police Baxter, who was there with his girlfriend, abused her in a tent.

It is alleged he repeated similar assaults when she went round to his flat.

Mr Askins said that socialising at the address included drinking and smoking cannabis and the girl liked to be there as it made her feel grown up.

He said she did not complain about what Baxter was doing to her because she did not want to be stopped from going to the flat.

The girl claims that Baxter tried to rape her on one occasion when she was at his home.

Mr Askins said she later told a number of people what he had done to her and, in 2012, the police become involved and Baxter was arrested.

He told interviewing officers he had done nothing wrong and denied any sexual misconduct with the child, now a woman in her late 20s.

Judge Jonathan Rose, the trial judge, told the jury the case was expected to last up to five days.