A MAN has been accused of sexually abusing two young girls over a ten-year period.

Graham Gadd, of Griffin Close, Burnley, only stopped indecently assaulting one of the youngsters after she threatened to tell her parents if he continued, a jury was told.

Preston Crown Court also heard claims that he molested the other girl when she asked for some money to buy sweets.

He allegedly told her she would have to earn the money by doing something for him.

Gadd, 58, denies a total of seven counts of indecent assault.

The charges span a period between the late 1960s and late 1970s.

Kath Johnson, prosecuting, said the two complainants in the case were now women in their forties.

They had been young children at the time of the alleged offences.

She said: "It is the prosecution case that during that timespan, the defendant sexually abused both of them, when they were young, in different ways."

Regarding the first girl, the Crown claim that he repeatedly sexually abused her.

It was alleged that Gadd had taken her into a toilet where she was indecently assaulted.

The Crown claimed that he continued to behave in that way towards her over a period of time.

There came a time when she felt able to stand up to him, said Miss Johnson.

"She told him that if he didn't stop what he was doing to her, she would tell her parents.

"That worked because it did not happen again," said Miss Johnson.

She did not tell anyone at that point, and it was many years before she was able to tell someone about what had allegedly taken place. She officially complained to the police in 2006.

The second child claimed that on a particular occasion she had asked the defendant for money to buy sweets and was told she would have to do something to earn it.

The prosecution claim she went on to be assaulted and that Gadd gave her 50p afterwards, telling her it was their secret.

She later told her mother, and she also claimed that she had been assaulted by another man as well.

Gadd was arrested towards the end of 2006.

In police interview he denied having indecently assaulted either of the girls and said the allegations were a complete fabrication.

He also said he thought someone may have "put them up" to making the claims.

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