Laura 'lured by family friend'

A schoolgirl was lured to her death by a family friend who sexually assaulted, raped, and killed her before hiding her body, a court has heard.

Colin Bainbridge, 35, of Murton, County Durham, has denied killing and raping nine-year-old Laura Kane last year.

Laura vanished from her home in Penshaw Village, Tyne and Wear, on 25 August.

The disappearance sparked a massive police hunt. Her body was eventually found under floorboards at Mr Bainbridge's home.

Colin Bainbridge was known to the family

Mr Bainbridge had been working at the girl's home the day before she disappeared, Newcastle Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

The prosecution alleges he carried out the assaults and murder at his house.

John Milford QC, prosecuting, said: "He does not dispute that Laura was in his company when she died. He says it was an accident.

"He will not dispute that she had suffered injury but he denies that he was responsible for that injury.

"He accepts that after her death he hid her body beneath the floorboards at his home."

Mr Milford went on: "The Crown alleges that the person who either raped or indecently assaulted this child - because someone undoubtedly did - was the defendant.

"And having done so he killed her, probably by strangulation. And he did so so that she would not tell people about the sexual abuse and her unpleasant injury that she had suffered as a result."

Youngest of seven

The court heard Laura was the youngest of seven children, who lived with her mother Carol Kane.

Her parents were separated but still close.

The court was told Mr Bainbridge had been friendly with Mrs Kane for a few years.

Laura Kane: "Lured" to her death

Mr Milford said: "He was trusted and not seen as a threat to her children. He would play with her children.

"Those games would sometimes involve tying them up and it was done in Mrs Kane's presence and raised no suspicions."

On the day Laura disappeared Mr Bainbridge was decorating a bedroom at the family home while Mrs Kane was out shopping.

She had become worried when she returned to find Laura gone and Mr Bainbridge sitting outside the house in his car.

Mr Milford said: "She asked if he knew where Laura was and he maintained that he did not.

"That night the defendant and Mrs Kane were together at a local pub."

He added: "He even had the audacity to suggest to witnesses in the case that the child's father must have been responsible for her disappearance."

Police search home

Detectives had interviewed Mr Bainbridge on 26 August, when he seemed "calm, confident and at ease".

Inconsistencies in his story led them to search his home on 4 September, when they found Laura's body, the court heard.

"She was still wearing the crop-top and ra-ra skirt which her mother remembers her wearing. But her knickers and pink flip flop sandals were missing as well as her cardigan," said Mr Milford.

He had told police Laura had died when a game where he tied her up had gone wrong. He had denied sexually assaulting her, the court heard.

The case was adjourned until Wednesday.