A MAN repeatedly molested a five-year-old girl and slapped her when she tried to refuse his advances, a court heard.

Faheem Zulqarnain, 44, of High Road, South Woodford, took the girl in his car to a secluded area near Snaresbrook, before slipping his hand into her underwear, jurors were told.

Zulqarnain hit the child and pulled her hair, as well as shouting and swearing at her when she tried to stop him 'playing with her', Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

In video evidence, the girl, clutching a teddy bear, told how Zulqarnain touched her 'where she went to the toilet'.

The child, who is now nine, said 'it hurt' and that she was unable to concentrate on school work after the alleged assaults between January 2009 and December 2010.

Prosecutor Catherine Farrelly said the girl's claims emerged on July 25 last year.

And she added: “She said the defendant had been shouting at her and hit her on an occasion in his car when they were together.

“She said she hadn't told anyone about this.

“She said the defendant had 'put his hand in there', pointing at her genitals.”

The girl went on to say that the incidents happened in Zulqarnain's car, when they were alone.

The girl told police she said ‘no’ but the defendant would then pull her hair and hit her and say 'let me', jurors were told.

Ms Farrelly told the court: “It is quite clear from what the girl said that this wasn't a one-off, this was a repeated series of events.”

Zulqarnain denies two counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13.

The trial continues.

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