A former pupil at a special school in Devon has denied abusing a junior boy who was four years younger than him. 

Darren Kerslake allegedly forced the vulnerable child to take part in sexual acts when he was aged 12 to 15 and the younger boy was eight to 11. 

He abused him during a school trip to Crealy Park, East Devon, and after taking him into woodland to play a game called Manhunt, Exeter Crown Court was told. 

The boy did not tell anyone at the time but went to the police after Kerslake contacted him on Facebook in 2015 to suggest they meet up again. 

Kerslake, aged 22, of Hook Drive, Newcourt, Exeter, denies eight counts of rape or sexual assault dating from 2007 to 2010. 

Mr Sean Brunton, prosecuting, said both Kerslake and the younger boy were at the special school in Devon because they suffer from difficulties. 

The younger boy was eight when he went to the school. He has a form of autism and attention deficit hyperactive disorder and was bullied in his first few terms. 

Kerslake was 12 at the time and offered him some protection, but then started to abuse him. 

Mr Brunton said: ’Kerslake befriended the boy and led him seriously astray. He used his age, size and seniority in the school to abuse the little boy. 

’The jury will need to take into account the boy was only eight, nine and 10 at the time and is recounting embarrassing, humiliating, distressing and confusing memories which are very difficult to talk about. 

’The experience left him extremely confused and angry about sex and relationships. This was an entirely secret and illicit relationship and the school were totally oblivious to it. 

’You may think that boys may experiment sexually and that what may have been fumbling ought not to come before a crown court. 

’The prosecution say things went much, much further. This was not mere experimentation. The age disparity means matters had gone far beyond that and amounted to abuse, albeit between people who were still very young.’ 

Mr Brunton said the abuse took place in the school toilets, in woods at the edge of Crealy Park during a school trip, and in woodland. 

Kerslake had used a Facebook profile in the name of Toby Pringle to contact the boy with a message asking if he remembered what they had done in the woods and wanted to do it again. 

Kerslake told the police he had never done anything of a sexual nature to the boy.