A former detective sergeant from Hereford put his hand down the underwear of a drunken 13-year-old he had offered a lift home, a court heard.

Geoffrey Gough is then alleged to have tried to get rid of the girl's 15-year-old friend so he could drive off with the younger girl.

Gough, 54, who now lives in Worcestershire, has pleaded not guilty to sexual activity with the 13-year-old and not guilty to attempted kidnapping.

Fiona Elder, prosecuting, told Gloucester Crown Court yesterday that on the evening on April 12 last year both the victim and Gough were out with separate groups of friends in the centre of Hereford.

"At some time that evening they came into contact with each other," she said.

"Prior to that, the victim and a friend had been involved in stealing a paramedic's bag and making a nuisance of themselves in KFC. On that evening both of the girls had been drinking and the victim, on her own admission, was drunk.

"They came into contact with Mr Gough when he was going to his car and he essentially offered them a lift.

"They drove to Tesco and the defendant gave £10 to the (15-year-old) to go into the store to get something to drink.

"There was a clear concern by her that she feared he would drive off with (the 13-year-old). Because of that, she did not really want to leave her friend in the car with this man, so she approached some other people and asked them to go in the store and get a drink for her, but they didn't want to become involved.

"She them asked them to help her get her friend away from this man.

"She told them she did not know the man and to their credit they intervened. The reason that she wanted to get Mr Gough away from her friend was that she had seen him reach across into her lap and thought he may have put his hand down her friend's trousers and that she thought she had seen her friend and Mr Gough kiss.

"She was concerned about the situation and the age disparity between her friend and the defendant.

"The people who helped her were certainly concerned enough to intervene and get the girl away from Mr Gough.

"Mr Gough told them he was a policeman. But despite that they were not happy with the situation and managed to get the girl away from Mr Gough."

After the incident Gough disappeared from the scene and the girls ran off, Miss Elder said.

She added that the victim was later arrested in a Tesco store for breaching a court order but made no mention of the assault. Initially, the 13-year-old denied even getting a lift with Gough.

Miss Elder said: "Later that day she said she had lied in her first interview. She said Mr Gough had put his hand on her hand while she was in the passenger seat of the car.

"Then using his left hand he had put his hand inside her tracksuit trousers and inside her knickers and touched her. She said he smelt of alcohol and that she didn't know him and how he had sent her friend away with money into Tesco."

In the interview the 13-year-old said: "He put his hand on mine and my friend kept looking at me.

"Then he put his hand down my trousers and I moved and he gave £10 to my friend to go into Tesco and get some alcohol.

"He put his hand down my trousers again and asked if I was coming for a drive, and I said no.

"Then some people came. I got out of the car and he drove off."

The girl admitted she was drunk, but said that Gough smelt of "smoke and booze".

She added that she had no recollection of them kissing but confirmed that he had touched her intimately.

Miss Elder said Gough was arrested and told police he was just doing the girls a favour and said they had "effectively forced" their way into his car and that he had tried to get rid of them.

"He said he was a victim of circumstance and was merely trying to help these girls," Miss Elder said.

The trial continues.