A THEATRE director has admitted having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old drama student.

Samuel Collier pleaded guilty to inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and four charges of sexual activity with a child under 16 before the start of his trial at Bradford Crown Court, it can now be reported.

The offences span a period between April, 2011, and January, 2012.

He denies two further allegations of sexual activity with a child involving the same girl.

Prosecutor Nick Askins said the teenager attended drama workshops run by Collier.

She had a crush on him and they began a sexual relationship when she was 15.

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At the close of the prosecution case yesterday, Collier was found not guilty of sexually abusing a second under-age girl.

Judge Colin Burn directed the jury to acquit him of all three offences of sexual activity with a child relating to her.

The judge said the jury could not be sure that she was under 16 at the time of the alleged offences, between September, 2005, and September, 2007.

Collier, 27, of Norman Lane, Eccleshill, Bradford, was also found not guilty of one offence of sexual activity with a third under-age girl.

He denies six further similar offences relating to that teenager.

Mr Askins told the jury the girl was approaching her 14th birthday when she became a student at the Theatre School in the Priestley Centre, Chapel Street, Little Germany, Bradford.

Collier, who directed a weekly rehearsal session, befriended and groomed her, it is alleged.

She visited his then home at Markfield Avenue, Low Moor, Bradford.

Mr Askins said Collier referred to the child as his little sister and called her 'babe'.

It is alleged he flirted with her, hugged her and gave her a necklace.

She told the jury Collier forced her to perform sexual acts when she was 14 and 15.

Her father became concerned about the relationship but she told him nothing was going on.

"I felt scared and I had no-one to speak to," she said.

Defence barrister, Sara Dodd, suggested that Collier was a "loving, supportive and kind friend" to the girl.

Nothing sexual happened between them but she became very jealous when she saw him with other young women, Miss Dodd said.

The girl denied this.

Collier told the police he let the girl stay at his home up to ten times because she had nowhere else to go.

He said allegations that he sexually abused her "make me feel sick to the stomach".

The trial continues.