A man attempted to abduct a young girl by trying to pull her into his car as she walked to school, a court heard.

The teenager struggled and managed to fight off Kenneth Clarke before running to school and reporting the matter to a teacher, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

The 23-year-old had earlier approached other girls in separate incidents and was convicted of sexually assaulting one of them, said prosecutor Alex Scott.

“In short, the prosecution say this defendant has a sexual interest in girls,” he added.

Clarke, of Derwent Way, Gillingham, denies attempted kidnap on July 2 last year.

Mr Scott said the 14-year-old girl was on her way to school in Maidstone when she saw Clarke in his car. She became concerned about him and took a short cut.

But she saw the car again. Clarke stopped and spoke to her, asking for directions. She leaned inside the car because she could not hear what he was saying.

“At that moment, he grabbed hold of her,” Mr Scott told the jury. “He tried to pull her into the car, saying: 'Come on love, I will take you to school.’

“She was wearing her school uniform. You will hear Mr Clarke knows the area very well.

“She struggled. She fought him off. She broke away and ran to school. There, she complained to a teacher. The police were called.”

Mr Scott said a few days earlier, another schoolgirl was walking near to where Clarke lives. A car stopped and the driver spoke to her.

He asked her age and wanted her telephone number. When she told him she was 15, he replied: “That doesn’t matter.” He drove off.

Mr Scott said on September 23 Clarke approached a girl, aged 16, at a bus stop outside the Pentagon Centre in Chatham.

He spoke to her about bus routes before grabbing hold of her. He was later convicted of sexual assault.

The trial continues.