Second teenager has told a court she was sexually abused by a teaching assistant

Preston Crown Court heard avid Billington, 46, denies sexually assaulting six girls aged under 13.

The youngster, who can not be named for legal reasons, told the court the teaching assistant, known as 'Mr B', sat her on his knee in the PE cupboard, kissed her on the lip and forehead and touched her bum on a number of separate occasions.

She also told the court she saw 'Mr B' lifting girls’ skirts up and slapping their legs as they walked past him in the dinner hall.

Giving evidence by videolink, the girl, said: “One day I was putting some equipment away and he was just sat down on a chair and he told me to sit on his knee, so I did.

“He just asked me questions, like ‘how’s school?’ or ‘how are you getting on in maths?’

“I sat there for about 10 minutes, just sat there on his knee, while everyone was in class, learning.”

She told the court about an occasion when she hurt her lip on a netball post when Billington went to get her some ice.

She said: “It wasn’t bleeding but it was swollen up so 'Mr B' went to get some ice and then he kissed me on the lip, and then he took me to the PE cupboard and said ‘don’t tell anyone about this because I might get the sack.’”

Other occasions she said the teaching assistant kissed her on the forehead.

She said: “Mr Billington liked the girls. He would, like, do things to them.

“Towards the end of year six my friends, boys, was calling him a paedophile, because we all knew he was doing things.

“We all spread it amongst each other but none of us told anyone.

“I don’t know… we were stupid...younger.”

Billington, of Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, denies nine charges of sexually assaulting girls under 13.

He is accused of touching the girls on their legs, bottoms and shoulders.

He was a teaching assistant at St Anthony's RC School in Blackburn.

(Proceeding)