Man accused of assaulting six young girls (From Worcester News)

Man accused of assaulting six young girls

3:30pm Tuesday 11th September 2012 in News

SIX teenage girls were sexually assaulted in Worcester city centre over a two-week period after they were approached by a man in broad daylight, a jury was told.

The victims, aged between 15 and 17, included a schoolgirl in uniform, two college students and a girl on a shopping trip, it was alleged.

Rubio Costa hugged, kissed and touched them without their consent, said Jason Pegg, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court .

The attacks happened in CrownGate shopping centre, the bus station, in the Cathedral close and by Foregate Street railway station, it was claimed.

Mr Pegg said Costa, from Portugal, told them that they were “beautiful”, asked one for sex and suggested to another: “Come with me, I’m going to rape you.”

Arrested on March 15, he was identified by all six girls but claimed he was simply trying to make friends and insisted he was at home when two of the girls were assaulted.

Costa, aged 25, of Broad Street, Worcester, denies seven counts of sexual assault between March 1 and March 12.

The first victim, aged 15, was in CrownGate in school uniform when she was approached by Costa at 2.30pm on March 1. He took her hand and kissed it, said Mr Pegg.

She pulled away and walked off. But, on March 14, she saw Costa again at the bus station. He hugged her, they sat on a bench together and he began kissing her neck, the jury heard.

Costa allegedly put one hand on her bottom and the other inside her blouse and began rubbing and squeezing her back. She “used some force” to push him away, said Mr Pegg.

On the same day, a 16-year-old was waiting for a bus when Costa tried to hug her before asking for sex, it was claimed.

Mr Pegg said three girls were approached on March 12 when Costa was said to have held one tightly around the waist, followed her through the Cathedral close and grabbed her from behind. She screamed before he kissed her on top of the head.

Costa also followed a 17-year-old to a cafe, said Mr Pegg. After “pestering” her in the street she gave him a false phone number.

Another girl was waiting for a bus when he told her she had “beautiful eyes”, squeezed her bottom and then said he was going to rape her, the jury was told.

The sixth girl was in the bus station when Costa asked for a hug. She refused but he then kissed her on the lips and neck, said Mr Pegg.

The trial is expected to last up to six days.