A TEENAGER told a jury a former martial arts instructor accused of committing a series of sex offences said he would "get his guns out" if she told anyone what happened.

Mark Mayne, 40, a cabinet maker, allegedly told another girl that he would kill her if anything was said about his activities.

Mayne, of Adam Street, Abertillery, pleaded not guilty to 26 charges at Cardiff crown court.

Thirteen of them allege rape involving five girls.

In addition he denies other charges involving indecency with a child, indecent assault, attempting to procure a miscarriage, sexual activity with a girl, and sexual intercourse with a girl under 13.

Prosecutor Ieuan Morris described the case as "serious, alarming and disturbing."

It involves, he alleged, a catalogue of sexual abuse against a total of six girls.

Some of the details he said the jury would find "shocking and vile."

Some of the alleged offences, said Mr Morris, occurred in Mayne's home and in an industrial unit where he had a duvet and pillows on an Ebbw Vale industrial estate.

On one occasion, it is claimed, he had sex in a tent with a girl at Cwmtillery Reservoir.

The third witness to give evidence, in a trial expected to last three weeks, was a girl on a video link.

"I thought it would all go away, but it hasn't" she said.

She said on one occasion Mayne sexually assaulted her and another girl when they were together.

The other girl told her that Mayne had said he would kill her if she said anything.

The witness told the jury he abused her on other occasions and she remembered him saying "If this gets out I'll get the guns out."

(proceeding)