A supermarket worker from Chesham accused of grooming a girl for sex from the age of just 13 claimed they were engaged, a court heard.

Sajad Ali, 35, of Brockhurst Road, was part of a gang of 11 men in Aylesbury who exploited two teenagers on a 'massive scale', it is said.

The girls, both from unstable backgrounds, were repeatedly raped on an almost daily basis from the age of 12 or 13, the Old Bailey heard.

The first alleged victim told police she believes she had sex with 60 'mainly Asian' men by the age of 16.

But Ali claimed he thought the girl was 18 and that the two of them were engaged.

In his police interview read to the court he said: “We went to my home and we had sex, after that I said do you want money?

“She said 'no, because I like you, you're a good man', I said 'fair enough'.”

He claimed the alleged victim had even asked him to meet her mum and he had gone round for a cup of tea.

Ali said he had repeatedly asked the girl if she was 'sure' she was 18.

He said: “I say to her 'do you want money' and she said 'No, no, I don't want your money, I like you'.”

“I wanted to get married with her, but when I find out everything that is going on [her sleeping with other men] I say I'm sorry I can't.

"She even bought the ring.”

He added: “Her and her friend, they have sex with boys to get money.”

When asked if anyone had approached him to have sex with the girl, he replied: “About three or four people say to me she's charging you money.

“I say she's not doing it like that anymore, she's my girlfriend and she's staying with me.”

The girls, who cannot be named, were befriended, lured back to properties, given attention and made to feel wanted, the court has heard.

They were bought gifts such as food, DVDs, booze and drugs, it is said.

The alleged victims thought they were in 'relationships' with their alleged abusers and spoke of the men as being their 'boyfriends', the court heard.

Vikram Singh, 45, Harmohan Nangpal, 41, Asif Hussain, 33, Arshad Jani, 33, Mohammed Imran, 38, Faisal Iqbal, 32, Taimoor Khan, 28, Akbari Khan, 36, Jerome Joe, 35, Sajad Ali, 35 and Sohail Qamar, 41, are accused of 49 offences including rape, sexual activity with a child, administering a substance to overpower for sexual activity and arranging child prostitution.

Each of the 11 men is said to have sexually abused the first victim, whilst Taimmor Khan and Akbari Khan sexually abused her friend, it is said.

Ali, of Brockhurst Road, Chesham, denies rape, sexual activity with a child and administering a substance with intent to commit a sex offence.

The rest of the defendants also deny the charges.

The trial continues.