AN AWARD-winning Newport Neighbourhood Watch member showed a schoolgirl pornographic material and suggested she have sex with him, a court heard yesterday.

Charles Anthony Lane, (pictured) 56, a former Gaer Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator, denies 24 sex and violence charges against women and young girls dating from the early 1970s to July 22 this year.

A 17-year-old girl gave evidence by video link at Newport crown court about four occasions where she alleged Lane implied they should have sex.

The girl said Lane once pulled out a pornographic magazine and showed her a photo, and she added: "It was young girl of my age and a man of roughly his age and he said 'That could be me and you'."

She said on another occasion she was looking for a job when Lane told her there were "other ways of getting you money".

She said Lane, of Elan Court, Bettws, told her later that day: "I am lonely and I need some love and haven't had a woman for ages."

She added: "I told him no. He said you can have whatever you want whenever you want. I knew that he wanted sex."

John Jenkins, QC, defending, told the girl: "He could have been talking about another type of job. You assumed he was talking about sex."

The witness, who cannot be identified, told the jury how on another occasion Lane put his hands up her top. She put her hands across her chest and he backed off.

Mr Jenkins said to her of all her allegations: "This is completely untrue. You have said it because of a grudge you have against him."

Lane denies six counts of rape; four of committing indecency with children; four of indecent assault; one of causing or encouraging the prostitution of a girl under the age of 16; one of procuring a woman to have sex with himself and others by using threats or intimidation; one of abducting a 15-year-old girl; one count of attempted rape; four of assault occasioning actual bodily harm; one of grievous bodily harm and one of witness intimidation.

The trial continues.