Officer told child he wanted a girlfriend - court

John Stringer denies five charges relating to the sexual abuse of a child

A police officer told a young girl he is alleged to have abused that he was lonely and wanted a girlfriend, a court has heard.

John Stringer, 42, who works for Gwent Police, is accused of touching the girl inappropriately and making her watch pornography.

The girl's mother, who can not be identified due to legal reasons, told Cardiff Crown Court her daughter had described having "inappropriate" conversations with the policeman.

Mr Stringer, from Cardiff, denies five charges relating to the sexual abuse of a child.

Giving evidence, the girl's mother said her daughter displayed a “huge amount of nervousness” when her parents arrived at her school when she’d made allegations to a teaching assistant.

"She was over there and talking with John and he would tell her he was lonely and wanted a girlfriend,” she said.

“I said to her ‘that was an inappropriate conversation to be having with an adult’.”

The court heard the girl’s parents invited John Stringer to their home for coffee.

She told the jury that Mr Stringer had told her he missed his ex-partner but did not like his ex-mother-in-law.

“We wanted to get to know him better,” she said, adding: “We started off with a coffee and I’d chat to him on the school run.”

During his police interview, Mr Stringer denied watching the girl perform a sex act on herself in an upstairs bedroom. He also denied telling her it would help relieve stress.

The court heard Mr Stringer's iPhone 6 was seized following his arrest and that one in every five internet searches on his phone was to access pornographic websites.

Ian Wright, prosecuting, told the jury there were no indecent images of children on the handset.

Mr Stringer denies two counts of sexual assault, two of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and one of causing a child to watch a sexual act.

He is expected to give evidence in his defence on Thursday.

The trial continues.