A BURNLEY man seduced and had sex with a 15-year-old girl despite protests from her friend that she was underage, a court heard yesterday.

Mushraf Ali, 29, chatted up the youngster while she was walking home with her younger sister, Burnley Crown Court heard, asking for her mobile phone number then sending her text messages until she agreed to meet up with him.

But the girl's friends became concerned, as their relationship blossomed and they were spotted together at Tesco's car park in Burnley, the court was told.

Kathryn Johnson, prosecuting, said that one girl texted Ali and told him that her friend was only aged 15. The girls fell out over the relationship, with the friend threatening to report Ali to police.

But Ali, of Cog Lane, Burnley, went on to have sex with the girl on at least three occasions during July and August last year, usually in the back of his car, said Miss Johnson.

Miss Johnson said that Ali met the girl last summer and, according to her sister, he was quite persistent in trying to chat her up.

The prosecution allege that Ali bought the girl alcohol and cigarettes during their relationship, which tailed off as the summer progressed.

Later though the girl's mother discovered a text message on her daughter's mobile phone from Ali and challenged her about their time together. Initially the girl denied having a sexual relationship with the 29-year-old but told her mother afterwards that she had.

Ali was arrested and interviewed by police in October. He produced a prepared statement regarding the matter. He accepted that they had texted each other but denied any sexual impropriety. He said that he thought she was aged 16 or 17.

Ali said in the statement that the teenager had wanted to be his girlfriend but she had took his rejection badly, although they did meet up once in October.

Shortly before he was arrested Ali is known to have texted the girl and then rang her mobile two hours later, said Miss Johnson.

The court heard that Ali would accept that there had been some sexual activity between them but it had occurred on only one occasion and did not amount to full intercourse.

Ali denies four offences of sexual activity with a child, between July 1 and August 31 last year.

Proceeding.