An ex-police officer had inappropriate relationships with two young girls and then lied and deceived people into believing nothing was happening, a court heard.

The first relationship involved Paul Traynier, assisted by his partner Tracey Sales, giving a 12-year-old girl a love bite during play fighting, it was alleged.

The second started when the girl was 15 and developed into a sexual relationship, a jury at Maidstone Crown Court was told.

The 39-year-old former PC, of Cliffe Road, Strood, denies sexual assault of the younger girl and four charges of perverting the course of justice.

Sales, also of Cliffe Road, denies aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring sexual assault of a child and perverting the course of justice.

Traynier’s parents, John, 64, and Sheila Traynier, of Cliffe Road, deny two charges of perverting the course of justice.

Mrs Traynier, 65, uses a wheelchair and has been given a hearing “loop” to enhance her hearing in the dock.

Jane Carpenter, prosecuting, said a mother had in late 2009 reported concerns to police about Traynier’s friendship with her daughter.

The girl was interviewed and she told how she had accidentally elbowed Traynier in the ribs and he responded by biting her on the neck and sucking for three or four seconds.

“She saw a red mark on her neck,” said Miss Carpenter. “She never had a love bite before. She said: ‘Look what you have done.’

“Others saw it, including Tracey Sales, and did nothing. She thought Tracey Sales also had one and was trying to cover it up with a scarf.”

The girl told her mother she did it with a vacuum cleaner.

Miss Carpenter said the aiding and abetting charge against Sales, 36, involved the help given in permitting and encouraging Traynier to play fight before the love bite.

The older girl became obsessive about Traynier.

She would often talk about him and received a large number of texts on her mobile phone. Her parents became concerned.

They found in her room a ball of paper which had a tick list of sexual acts which could take place in Traynier’s house.

Her mother also found messages on her Facebook account in which she referred to Traynier as her “---- partner”.

“She concluded there was an intimate relationship between them,” said the prosecutor.

The trial continues.