Oxford grooming trial: Two men deny raping schoolgirl

Two men accused of sexually abusing a schoolgirl have denied the alleged attacks ever took place, a court heard.

Mohammed Nazir said he would "never involve myself in such a thing" as he gave evidence at Oxford Crown Court.

Afzal Mohammed told a jury he had "never in my life" met the victim who he is accused raping in a bathroom.

The men, along with Naim Khan and Raheem Ahmed, deny 36 charges including the rape and indecent assault of a girl when she was aged between 13 and 15.

Mr Khan, 41, of no fixed address, is also accused of indecently assaulting a second girl and kidnapping and falsely imprisoning a third.

Prosecutor Alan Gardner previously told the jury at Oxford Crown Court that attacks took place "in parks, lavatories, unoccupied houses, and flats", between 1999 and 2001.

One victim, he said, "was treated as a sexual commodity for the use of older men".

Giving evidence, Mr Nazir denied he had asked the girl for sex in return for cannabis.

He told the court: "I would never do such a thing. I would never involve myself in such a thing as this. My defence is the truth, the absolute truth."

The 44-year-old, of Wood Farm Road, Oxford, also said it was "absolutely not true" that had arranged for the girl to have sex with other men.

Mr Mohammed, of Randolph Street, Oxford, denied an alleged rape in a bathroom in Leon Close in Oxford.

The 42-year-old said: "100% it never happened. I wasn't there."

The court previously heard the complainant told police three men had sex with her after she had been driven to a house in Howard Street.

She said she knew one of the men as "Naz" and added the other men were Mr Khan and an unknown taxi driver who worked for Royal Cars.

The jury also heard that the woman pointed out Mr Mohammed to officers as he walked past the crown court when she was with them during the investigation.

The trial continues.