A teenager has gone on trial accused of 16 counts of raping or sexually abusing boys as young as eight.

Bradford Crown Court was told that the offences were allegedly committed in the Keighley area between July and December last year. The defendant, now aged 14, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to 14 charges of rape, one of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and one of sexual assault.

Gerald Hendron, prosecuting, told the jury yesterday that the four complainants, who are now aged between nine and 13, were friends of the accused and three had stated he insisted they allow him to have sex with them. Half the rape allegations were alternative charges and they all referred to seven occasions when it was alleged the defendant had sex with the three boys, said Mr Hendron.

The incidents allegedly took place at the defendant's home or inside a hut or den at a nearby park and on one occa-sion inside a shed where they were sheltering from the rain, he said. Mr Hendron said the accused warned one of the boys: "Tell your mum and I will kill you".

One of the boys later told police the defendant had been "doing dirty stuff" to them, he said.

The allegations came to light last December when one of the boys spoke to his parents and the police were called.

The accused was arrested the next day and made virtually no comment during interviews, except during the last one when he is alleged to have said: "I only did it because I had no friend", said Mr Hendron.

The trial, which is expected to last all week, continues.