An alleged rapist plied two girls with cannabis so they would not resist his sex attacks, a jury has heard.

Paul Christopher Holt, 33, of Dixon Court, Selby, invited the pair, aged 12 and 14, to his home late at night, claimed Julian Goose, prosecuting.

There he gave them "joints" of cannabis until they were intoxicated before allegedly indecently assaulting both and raping the older girl twice.

"He made a joint and another and another. We were smoking them," the alleged rape victim said in evidence.

Holt denies two charges of raping the older girl, one of indecently assaulting the younger girl, and charges of supplying each girl with cannabis.

Mr Goose told Sheffield Crown Court the prosecution case was that: "The girls went to the defendant's house that Thursday night and stayed overnight whilst they were plied with cannabis in order to intoxicate them in such a way they would find it difficult to resist what he wanted to do."

Describing how Holt removed the older girl's trousers, Mr Goose alleged: "They were thrown across the room.

"During the course of what he was doing, he pulled off her pants, which were also thrown."

In a police interview, Holt denied that the girls had been with him that night.

The trial continues.

Updated: 11:38 Thursday, January 25, 2001