A UK scout leader appeared in Croydon Crown Court today charged with several counts of rape, unlawful sexual intercourse, and other serious sexual offences perpetrated against a 13-year-old girl 20 years ago.
The court heard that Mark Innes, now 43, of Beeston, Leeds, had befriended the child when she was 11 or 12 years old and he was 19.
The charges apply to the period between January 1990 and January 1994.
“Mr. Innes gave her the keys to his flat, but the beginnings of sexual contact occurred in the scout hut and the complainant enjoyed the contact and enjoyed the fact she was being kissed and touched,” prosecutor Jonathan Loades told the jury.
The court was told that the girl became pregnant when she was 13 and Innes arranged for her to have an abortion.
After the abortion the girl began to resist Innes' sexual advances, although “she was scared of losing him, of the relationship coming to an end,” the court was told.
However, by this time Innes had found a new girlfriend, Sharon Stow, of Orpington, Kent, who was closer to his own age.
The complainant alleged that when she was 14, Stow began to stalk her.
The girl said that on one occasion when she was walking near Innes’ flat, Stow forced her into an alley where Innes was waiting. Innes and Stow then dragged her to the flat where she was raped.
Stow is charged with aiding and abetting rape and aiding and abetting a serious sexual offence.
No reason was given for the 20-year delay in filing the case, nor why no investigation of statutory rape was made before the child was given the abortion.
Both Innes and Stow pled not guilty to the charges.