A TEENAGER pleaded with an attacker not to rape her because she was only 10 years-old, to try and stop him, a court heard.

But the man put his hand over her mouth to stop her screams and started to strangle her, it is alleged.

He also banged her head on the ground to try and knock her out, the jury was told.

The 13-year-old girl had taken a short-cut through Queen's Park where her ordeal happened.

The attacker spoke in a baby-like voice as he attempted to rape a 13-year-old girl in a Swindon park, a jury heard.

Swindon Crown Court was told that Leif Stacey had scratch marks on his face after an attack on the schoolgirl.

Ian Fenny, prosecuting, described how, shortly after 5pm on February 2, the teenager, who had been walking home alone after shopping in the town centre, had taken a shortcut through Queens Park when a man pounced on her from behind.

"He spoke in a curious voice a strange almost baby-like accent," he said.

"She described how he put his hand on her mouth to stop her from screaming, how she struggled and lashed out and how he beat her to the floor and started to strangle her.

"She described how her head was banged on the ground in an attempt to render her senseless and how he asked her how old she was and how she said she was only ten in an attempt to discourage him but it didn't."

Mr Fenny said that the girl's screams and brave attempt to fight him off while he pulled down her trousers, lifted her top and carried out sex acts could have prevented her from being raped.

After escaping, she ran towards a passing 'Good Samaritan' who took her home.

"He (the Samaritan) heard a scream and suddenly saw a young girl run up to him," Mr Fenny said yesterday.

"She said: 'Don't leave me, don't leave me because someone has tried to rape me.'

"All parents try to put things like this happening to the back of their mind but her mother's fears were horribly realised.

"There was a knock on her door and she opened it and saw her 13-year-old daughter clutching her abdomen and at first all she could say was 'mum, mum,' but eventually she described how someone had tried to rape her."

The jury heard that before the attack Stacey, of Culvery Court, Swindon, who has denied charges of attempted rape and indecent assault, was out drinking with a friend at the Walkabout pub.

During this time CCTV footage showed him wearing similar clothes a white beanie hat and blue jeans which the victim said that her attacker was wearing. And she said that he smelled of alcohol.

Mr Fenny said that there was also overwhelming DNA evidence which he claimed proved the 22-year-old had carried out the brutal sexual assault.

This included the discovery of skin under the fingernails of the teenager and saliva on her clothing which matched samples taken from the defendant.

Stacey claimed the scratch marks on his face were from a former girlfriend but she later denied the allegation.

Mr Fenny said that the youngster, whose shoulders, neck and groin were injured in the attack, also picked the accused out from an ID parade.

But during a police interview the court heard how Stacey said the attacker of the girl was 'sick' and that he should be brought to justice.

"When he was charged by police he said to them let justice be done," said Mr Fenny.

"Exactly, let justice be done in this trial."

The case continues.

Ben Payne