A TEENAGE sex offender could be locked up indefinitely after he abused a nine-year-old girl during childhood games.

The girl told a jury how Simon Paul Anthony Goode, 19, took her away from her friends as they played in a field and tried to rape her.

He also threatened her and abused her on three other occasions as she and her friends were playing hide and seek or a game called "training". The abuse occurred over an eight-month period.

"He doesn't take no for an answer," she said.

Goode denied all the abuse, but the jury at York Crown Court convicted him on four charges after more than five-and-a-half hours in retirement. He must now register as a sex offender by tomorrow.

The Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, said Goode must understand that custody must be the inevitable sentence.

The judge adjourned sentence for a probation service report. Because Goode tried to rape the girl, the judge must decide whether or not to give him an indefinite prison sentence when he returns to court in June.

Defence barrister Tom Mitchell agreed Goode would spend a "significant" time behind bars.

Goode, of Quarry Hill, Appleton-le-Street, near Malton, had denied attempted rape, two sexual assaults on the girl and causing or inciting her to engage in a sex act with him.

He showed no reaction to the verdicts, other than a slight shake of the head at the end and was released on bail. He had no previous convictions.

From the witness box, the former shelf stacker at a Morrisons supermarket had denied setting up games for a group of children such as hide and seek and "training", in which older children taught younger children how to do cartwheels, and play rugby or football.

He had claimed he had never threatened the girl, kissed her inappropriately or been alone with her.

But at the start of the three-day trial, prosecution barrister Simon Hickey said: "During some innocent games and under the pretext of those innocent games, say the prosecution, he took the opportunity to assault her in a number of ways."

The girl told the jury through a police video and a TV link how he had taken her away during the games.

Eventually, she told her friend about the abuse and, finally, her mother.