A FOOTBALL coach sexually abused young girls after putting on horror films for them to watch, a jury was told.

Jimi Phillips, from Pontypool, who worked as goalkeeping coach with Cardiff City, is on trial accused of committing 11 offences against three complainants.

The court heard he has also coached boys, girls and ladies’ teams throughout South Wales.

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Prosecutor Ieuan Rees said the defendant assaulted the girls between 2011 and 2014 in the counties of Torfaen and Caerphilly.

Cardiff Crown Court heard claims Phillips had carried out the abuse after putting on horror movies like A Nightmare on Elm Street.

One complainant told jurors: “I felt he put those films on to scare us into going into his room.”

Phillips, 44, of Freeholdland Road, Pontnewynydd, has pleaded not guilty to all counts against him and told jurors he did not sexually assault them.

The court was told the defendant is a man of clean character with no previous convictions.

One character witness described Phillips as “bubbly, polite and a really good person”.

He faces charges of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration, assaulting a girl under 13 by touching and causing/inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The jury has retired to consider its verdicts.