A karate instructor raped a schoolgirl and threatened to hit her if she told anyone, a court was told.

Paul Rudwick, 42, made the threats to the 13-year-old if she refused his demands.

Rudwick, who taught at schools and church halls across Worthing and Littlehampton, also forced the girl to give him oral sex in front of other children, it was alleged.

Rudwick, of Seaton Park, Wick, Littlehampton, denies one count of rape, one of indecent assault, four counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of actual bodily harm and two counts of intimidating a witness between March 2004 and April 2006.

He first met the teenager after her father took her to karate lessons in Worthing, Chichester Crown Court was told.

Black-belt Rudwick allegedly picked the girl up and made her perform sex acts before dropping her off at school.

The girl told the court that Rudwick made her have sex with him five or six times a week.

The court heard that Rudwick would take the girl to Goring Gap in Worthing after picking her up from either Worthing or Lancing train stations.

The girl, now 16, said: "He made me bend over and then had sex with me.

"He told me if I told anyone he would hit me or he would kill himself because his life would not be worth living anymore without me."

The court heard that Rudwick, who has starred in a number of martial arts videos aimed at children, first raped the girl at his three-bedroom terraced house in March 2004.

She said: "He started to put his hands down my trousers and touched me. I pulled my trousers up but he told me we must have sex.

"He was saying I was being manipulative not having sex with him and was saying he had not had sex for a long time.

"He said I had to reward him for all the things he had given me and told me not to tell anyone after we had sex."

Rudwick was arrested by Sussex Police in May 2006 on suspicion of hitting the girl.

Rudwick taught at schools including Davison High School in Worthing and Windlesham House School near Ashington.

He also held classes at Angmering Village Hall and Goring Methodist Church in Worthing.

The trial, which will last up to three weeks, continues.