TWO young girls made up allegations of rape against an 11-year-old Westhoughton schoolboy, a court heard.

Liverpool Crown Court was told yesterday that the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police the claims were false.

He is accused of inviting one of the girls to perform a sex act on him — but he claimed the words in question were a sarcastic taunt because she had called him fat.

It is alleged that, while out playing, the boy took her ball and refused to give it back until she had performed a sex act on him.

On the third day of the trial, Det Con Maggie Lane, who interviewed the boy, told how she questioned him about his alleged attack on a seven-year-old girl which led to the investigation.

Det Con Lane said he also denied the girl’s claim that he had told her “I love you, sexy” and also denied raping her.

The detective said that when asked why the girl should have made her claims, the boy said it might be because he had once hit her brother.

The court has heard that the incident came to light after the girl went home and asked her mum what “sexy” meant.

The girl said that after he gave her the ball back she went home and “told my mum all about it”.

She also told how he had bragged about sexual activity with an 11-year-old girl who was also later interviewed and made allegations against him.

The boy, who is now aged 12, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of raping the girl and one of sexually assaulting her.

He also denies one count of raping the older girl, one of attempting to rape her and one of sexually assaulting her.

The trial continues