A WOMAN is accused of holding down a 13-year-old girl while her partner allegedly raped the child.

Jacqueline Gidlow is on trial, at Derby Crown Court, for allegedly assisting Richard Compton in the attack on the youngster.

A jury was told the girl cried for help when Compton began raping her in a bedroom. It is alleged Gidlow came upstairs – but instead of going to the girl's aid, helped Compton by holding the girl's wrists above her head.

Gidlow later herself sexually assaulted the girl, said Stephen Lowne, prosecuting.

Both Compton, 58, and Gidlow, 54, who are no longer together, have pleaded not guilty.

The jury was told that Gidlow is also accused of having sex with her latest partner, Shane Gidlow, in front of three children, including a three-year-old.

One of the alleged victims was said to have told police that at the end of the incident Jacqueline Gidlow had "a big grin on her face".

The Gidlows, of Sydenham Road, Mackworth, deny this charge.

The jury was told that the alleged assisted rape took place in Somerset about 13 years ago.

Mr Lowne said the victim told police that, when Compton finished raping her, Jacqueline Gidlow had gone on to sexually assault the girl herself and had also encouraged Compton to do so.

Mr Lowne said that when this was over and they went downstairs the couple indecently assaulted her again.

He told the jury that, by 1999, Jacqueline Gidlow had moved to Derby and was in a relationship with Shane Gidlow and it was at this time that they had sex in front of three children – a 16-year-old and two children under six.

Mr Lowne said the 16-year-old, now in her 20s, said they had all been in a room and Shane Gidlow had pushed a chair against the door handle and the children were told to watch as the couple began to perform sexual acts on each other and then had sex.

Compton, of Doctor Roberts Close, Bridport, Dorset, denies rape and two charges of indecently assaulting a child between 1995 and 1998.

Shane Gidlow, 41, and Jacqueline Gidlow deny engaging in sexual indecencies with each other in the presence or sight of a child.

Jacqueline Gidlow denies aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the rape of a child and two counts of indecently assaulting a child between 1995 and 1998.

Shane Gidlow has admitted two charges of rape on a woman last year and indecent assault of a girl under the age of 18 in 2000.

The trial continues.