A MAN accused of raping two underage girls has previous convictions for possessing indecent images of children, York Crown Court heard.

David John Stansfield, now 42, started sexually abusing one of the girls before he was 14, alleged Sophie Drake, opening for the prosecution.

She claimed that in his teenage years after his 14th birthday, Stansfield repeatedly raped both girls.

When the older of the two girls became an adult she told her partner, and he contacted police, the barrister told the court.

Stansfield, of Stirrup Close, Foxwood, denies eight charges of rape, two of indecent assault and one of committing a serious sexual offence. All the offences are alleged to have happened in the 1990s.

He is not charged with any offence relating to any of his actions before he was 14 because he was then below the age of criminal responsibility, the jury heard.

The jurors also heard he was convicted of possessing indecent images of children in 2012 and 2016.

“The Crown says this demonstrates he did have and does have a sexual interest in children,” alleged Miss Drake.

Stansfield was arrested on June 14 last year.

He gave a prepared statement and then did not answer questions about either alleged victim.

The trial continues.