A man accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl allegedly asked her friend if she would like to join them for a “threesome”, it has been claimed.

The friend told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that she heard Michael Savage ask the alleged victim to be his girlfriend while they were on a heath in Newmarket and she had said yes.

The girl had then allegedly performed oral sex on Savage while he touched her bottom and her breasts over her clothing.

The witness said Savage and her friend had then disappeared into some bushes and she saw them having sex.

She alleged that Savage had asked her if she wanted to join in and have a threesome and she had declined.

The witness said she thought what they had done was wrong because of the difference in their ages but she hadn’t said anything to her friend.

Savage, 34, of Garden Court, Burwell, has denied two charges of engaging in sexual activity with a girl in 2018.

It has been alleged that he initially met the schoolgirl in a shop and had given her a cigarette and chatted to her.

He had then allegedly put his number in the girl's phone and the pair had started communicating.

Savage later met the girl in a park in Newmarket and allegedly had sex with her, said Richard Potts, prosecuting.

He had then met the schoolgirl again and allegedly had sex with her a second time.

Attempts were made by the girl's family to stop her from seeing Savage

Mr Potts said Savage also bought the girl an iPhone to communicate with her as her own phone was an older model.

When Savage was interviewed by police he told officers the girl told him she was 16.

He said he thought she looked about that age but denied having sex with her.

Savage said the schoolgirl had kissed him once on the cheek.

He admitted buying her an iPhone because he felt sorry that she had an older phone.

But he denied sending messages to the phone, and said his mobile phone had been stolen from his bag.

"The prosecution say that that is simply untrue," Mr Potts told the jury.

Mr Potts added: "She was just 14. The law is there to protect children."

The trial continues.