A TEENAGER charged with three counts of sexual activity with a child could be seen kissing a wooden cross during the start of his trial.

Alfie Boyd, 19, of The Street, Englefield, has denied two counts of non-penetrative sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl and one count of penetrative sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl.

Reading Crown Court heard on Wednesday (May 10) that the first two alleged offences happened on March 26, 2022, and the third alleged offence happened on April 2, 2022.

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Prosecutor Jollyon Robertson opened the case as Boyd could be seen kissing a wooden cross on a beaded necklace in the dock and murmuring words under his breath.

Mr Robertson said: “This case involves two young people. At the relevant time, the complainant was 13 and the defendant was aged 18. It happened in a bedroom upstairs when they were alone.

“[On March 26], there was some play fighting between [the girl] and the defendant while they were downstairs and this ended with him kissing her first on the cheek and then on the lips.

“The defendant said, ‘don’t tell anyone.’ And the reason was because the defendant understood he would get into trouble as she was underage.”

Phone numbers were exchanged between the pair and Mr Robertson read out some of the texts shared after the first alleged incidents.

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In some texts, Boyd said: “You’re gorgeous, I don’t just kiss anyone. I miss kissing you. Our little secret.”

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sent Boyd a picture of her in her school uniform which he then set as his phone background.

In another text, Boyd said: “You’re my queen.” The girl responded: “Love you, my king.”

Mr Robertson continues: “There are some fairly intimate exchanges between the two of them between a few days.

“[On April 2], he went upstairs and came into the bedroom and she says that he then kissed her. He went out and then came back 20 minutes later.

“It’s on this occasion that [count three occurred]. She ended up, in her own words, feeling sick.”

Text exchanges continued between the pair after the alleged incident where the girl refers to Boyd as her ‘boyfriend’.

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The girl’s mother then found out about Boyd and he was later arrested and interviewed. He told police that he believes she ‘made up the allegations’ as she ‘fancied him’ and he ‘shut her down’.

He added that he thought she was aged 17.

The trial continues.