A GIRL has admitted lying about an allegation that a councillor, accused of indecently assaulting her, touched her leg.

But the 12-year-old girl, who said she was approached at the spa and boating lake in Bridlington, on the Yorkshire coast, last Easter, by Harry Devine, said the man did offer her £10 to go to his hotel for sex.

The girl was giving evidence via video-link at Durham Crown Court in the trial of Mr Devine, an independent member on Easington District Council.

Mr Devine is accused of indecently assaulting the 12-year-old.

Mr Devine, who was bailed to an address in London at the time of the alleged incident, admits speaking to the girl and buying her cigarettes, but denies touching her and inviting her back to his hotel room for sex.

The court had previously heard that when the girl told her friends of Mr Devine's actions they chased him and he was caught after being cornered in the garden of a retired police officer nearly a mile away.

Police were called and he was arrested.

Although Mr Devine is representing himself in the case, legal rules forbid him from cross-examining the alleged victims.

He elected to use the services of barrister Peter Schofield, who asked the girl via the video link: "Did he, or not, touch you on the leg?", to which she replied: "No".

Mr Schofield asked the teenager if she made the story up to her friends, and the girl said: "Maybe I got a bit nervous."

When he asked her: "He didn't then suggest to you that he would give you money to go back to his hotel, did he?", she answered: "Yes, he said that."

The girl broke down twice during cross-examination, and after the second interruption, Judge Richard Lowden said it was unfair to proceed but he made no criticism of the way Mr Schofield conducted the cross-examination.

Mr Devine, 54, of Salters Lane, Wingate, denies both cases of indecent assault.

The case was adjourned until Monday.