A YOUNG girl told a staff member about alleged sexual abuse she had suffered after watching a presentation on the subject at school, a jury has heard.

Trevor Symonds, aged 30, is facing trial at Dorchester Crown Court over a charge of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.

The allegation relates to an incident that occurred between November 2010 and November 2011 and involves a girl who was aged just eight at the time.

Symonds, of Happy Island Way, Bridport, denies the offence.

The jury was told that the girl confided in a teaching assistant at her school about the alleged offence last year after she and fellow pupils had a presentation by Childline on abuse and other subjects.

In a recorded interview that was played to the court, the girl said Symonds had touched her underneath her clothing in the chest area and asked to touch her below the waist but she had refused.

She said: “I was nearly in tears because I couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“I was so scared I hadn’t told anyone till last week.”

The girl said that seeing the presentation had brought back what had happened to her.

She said: “It just came back to me straight away.”

When asked how the incident had left her feeling, the girl replied: “I have been feeling terrible.

“I haven’t been able to look myself in the mirror in the same way again.”

When first questioned by police prosecutor David Bartlett said Symonds told officers ‘nothing had happened’.

Later during interview Symonds admitted that he had been drinking at the time of the incident and he had ‘limited memory’.

The case continues.