Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell raped a young girl as she clutched a teddy bear, a court has been told.
The actor, 48, who plays Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, is facing 12 charges - five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.
Le Vell, on trial at Manchester Crown Court under his real name Michael Turner, denies the offences.
Judge Michael Henshell warned the jury: "The man on trial is Michael Turner, not the character he plays."
Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, then began the opening address, telling the jury Le Vell was a 'heavy drinker'.
Ms Laws said the abuse began when Le Vell slipped his hand under the girl's clothing. The abuse progressed to Le Vell allegedly forcing the girl to touch him, with her 'too frightened' to do anything, the court heard.
The first time he raped the girl, she clutched one teddy bear while Le Vell put another teddy bear over her mouth, it's alleged. "It's OK. I'm making the evil stop once and for all now. It'll be fine," he allegedly told her. He then raped the youngster, kissed her on the cheek and left, the court heard. The jury heard that on another occasion Le Vell raped the girl orally.
The girl was 'scared' and did not understand what was going on during the abuse, the jury was told.
Le Vell allegedly told her: "It's our little secret, no one needs to know otherwise... you'll die and the evil will come over you."
Ms Laws said Le Vell would speak to another adult, who cannot be named for legal reasons, about his problems and referred to a 'secret' he had and said the adult would 'not believe what was inside his head'.
The prosecutor added: "On another occasion he stated that he was 'unforgivable' but would not say what he had done."
he girl later broke down in tears and police were called.
Le Vell, who lives in Hale, Cheshire, was initially arrested in September 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to proceed. But after a review of the evidence Le Vell was re-arrested and charged in February 2013.
At his first arrest he answered all the questions put to him, Ms Laws said. "In summary he denied the allegations made. He said that she was a fantasist and an attention seeker."
After his arrest the second time he declined to answer any further questions and provided police with a prepared statement, again denying all the allegations.
ITV has said Le Vell will not be appearing in any further episodes of Coronation Street pending the outcome of legal proceedings. The trial continues.
