A MAN has appeared in court charged with multiple counts of rape against a 12-year-old girl.

Ibrahim Hussain, 35, of Woodcross Court, Little Horton, Bradford, made a brief appearance at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

In addition to three charges of rape, Hussain is also accused of the kidnap and false imprisonment of his alleged victim, as well as an assault occasioning her actual bodily harm.

Dressed in a grey tracksuit top and jogging bottoms, Hussain, who had stubble and short dark hair, spoke only to confirm his personal details before the charges were put to him.

Prosecutor Nadine Clough told the court that the girl had told police officers she had been kidnapped from a park in Bradford “by force” before being held against her will at a house in the city.

Miss Clough said the charges against Hussain were so serious that they would have to be heard at the Crown Court.

She added that the Crown Prosecution Service was seeking for Hussain to be remanded in custody and would oppose any possible application for bail.

Philippa Murray, for Hussain, who the court heard works as both a cleaner and a delivery driver for a takeaway business, said there were “adequate safeguards” that could be put in place to allow him to be granted bail.

While he did not give any formal indication of pleas to the charges against him, Miss Murray said the “horrendous allegations were absolutely disputed by Mr Hussain”.

Miss Murray accepted that due to the gravity of the charges there would have to be “exceptional circumstances” for Hussain to be granted bail, and Chairman of the Bench Fiona Sunter said such circumstances were not evident.

She told Hussain he would be remanded in custody ahead of his case being transferred to the Crown Court next month.

She said: “You are to be remanded in custody as we find there are no exceptional circumstances for you to have bail.

“We believe there is a real prospect of a custodial sentence in this case if you are convicted.”

Hussain is next scheduled to appear at Bradford Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on Friday, August 4.