A ten-year-old girl broke down in tears as she was questioned via a video link in an indecency trial involving a former fireman.

The jury at Bradford Crown Court, heard how the frightened nine-year-old girl asked to go home and kicked out at a car seat after being offered a lift by an off-duty fireman.

The youngster, who is now ten and cannot be identified for legal reasons, described in a video interview with a policewoman how she and her friend had seen Malcolm Vickers' green Rover car parked near a bus stop after they had been swimming.

She said because her friend thought she knew the man they decided to get in the car after he asked them if they wanted a lift home.

But she said they became scared after he drove them to a cemetery and made them look at "dirty magazines".

"He said if we gave him something he'd give us some pennies," she said. "I was scared. I kicked the seat."

The girl said when they tried to open the car doors when Vickers left them alone they couldn't because the child-locks were on.

Retired fireman Vickers, 55, of Brompton Avenue, Bradford has admitted indecently assaulting one teenage girl, but has denied further allegations of indecently assaulting a nine-year-old girl, three offences of indecency with a child and two of falsely imprisoning two other nine-year-old girls.

During questioning by Vickers' barrister, Simon Lawler QC, the girl confirmed that Vickers had said he was going into the cemetery because he wanted to relieve himself.

She rejected Mr Lawler's suggestion that the magazines had simply slipped out from under the driver's seat and Vickers had told them they shouldn't be looking at them.

Earlier the girl's friend also gave evidence and told how she thought she recognised Vickers as a neighbour which was why they got into his car.

Defence counsel Simon Lawler QC put it to the girl that there was no talk about sex, "pennies'', boyfriends, going shopping, or taking her to his home. But she replied: "He said them''.

It was alleged by the Crown that Vickers propositioned the girls to see if they were willing to provide sexual favours for him.

The jury was told that in October 1997 Vickers grabbed a nine-year-old boy when he was out collecting conkers with his cousin - a girl of the same age - in Bowling Cemetery.

Retired Vickers, who was based at Bradford Central Fire Station, was spotted in his car near Bowling Park when a police officer found sex magazines under a seat during a search.

The trial continues.

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