A West Sussex man subjected a young girl to a four-year catalogue of sexual abuse, then blamed her, the Old Bailey was told.
Terry Phillips, 39, of Arundel Road, Angmering, began molesting the youngster when she was just eight, said Sonia Woodley QC, prosecuting.
He denies one charge of rape and five of indecent assault.
Miss Woodley said the attacks began in April 1994 and Phillips raped the girl on one occasion but stopped when she told him it hurt.
The assaults ended in April 1998 but the girl did not tell her teacher until two years later, the jury was told.
Miss Woodley said: "She was told not to tell anyone what he was doing so she kept her silence until May last year when she told a teacher at her school."
The police were called and Phillips was arrested.
He did not deny some sort of sexual activity had taken place between them but had put the blame almost entirely on the girl, Miss Woodley said She said he claimed the sexual activity was all the girl's doing but it was not her fault because her hormones were just "kicking in".
The trial continues.
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