A MARRIED father-of-five accused of raping a teenage girl in his car has told a court she flagged him down in the street, before initiating consensual sex.

Kitchen and bathroom fitter Ahmed Chopdat, 38, of St Stephens Avenue, Blackburn, claimed he was driving in his silver Seat people carrier ‘looking for business premises’ on the evening of February 27, last year.

A jury heard evidence from Chopdat’s police interviews after his arrest in March last year, in which he told officers the 16-year-old girl had jumped out in front of his car in Brothers Street, Mill Hill.

He said: “Tears were rolling down her cheeks, she had been crying.

"She said her mates had left her.

"I gave her a tissue and said, ‘You do realise I’m not a taxi driver’.”

Chopdat said he agreed to give her a lift home because it was dark and late, but after stopping at one address she got back in the car and asked to be driven to a Blackburn takeaway, Freddies in King Street.

He told police he gave her £5 to get some food in a bid to get rid of her, but she got back in.

Two witnesses told the jury they saw the victim at Freddies and offered her a lift, but she said she had a taxi waiting.

The court heard Chopdat told police the girl directed him to a dirt track off Stockclough Lane, Feniscowles, claiming to live there.

He said he gave the girl his phone to text her mum to say she was OK.

He admitted lying about his age, saying he was 28, and that she claimed to be 18 and a college student.

Chopdat told police: “We kissed and we cuddled. She climbed over to the back seat.

"I thought 'this is too good to be true'.”

Chopdat said consensual sex took place after which he told her he had to get back to his wife.

The court also heard evidence from the victim’s mother who said she received a text from her daughter at 12.42am from an unknown number saying she was safe.

The girl came home an hour later and went to the police on the Monday.

Chopdat denies two counts of rape.

Proceeding.

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