A teenager was raped and her friend sexually assaulted after drinking and dancing with two men in a Watford park in the early hours of the morning, a jury heard yesterday.

The girls were at one of their homes in Watford on a Friday evening when one received a BBM message from Rizwan Bashir, aged 25, who asked to be her friend.

She accepted and told him she would like to get drunk, but had no money, St Albans crown court heard.

Prosecutor Peter Shaw said that after she sent the message, Mr Bashir arranged to meet them. He and Mohammed Saddique, also 25, picked the teenagers up and drove them around Watford.

One of the girls started to drink vodka that they had in the car. The other girl also took a sip.

"They ended up at King George playing fields, got out and continued to drink alcohol. They played music and danced for about an hour," he said.

The girl, who had been drinking more of the vodka, said she was feeling sick and all four returned to the car. But Mr Saddique and the other girl went back into the park where he said they had left the vodka.

Mr Shaw told the jury of eight women and four men: "This left the girl with Mr Bashir and he grabbed and kissed her. He reacted when she pushed him off by punching her twice to the face. He pulled his trousers down and pulled her leggings down and raped her.

"She was shouting and crying. The other girl came back and he got off. The girls ran away and called the police."

The prosecutor said that when Saddique and the other girl got back into the park he tried to kiss her and touched her breasts inside her bra. "She pushed him off and ran back to the car," he said.

Rizwan Bashir, 25, of Marlborough Road, Watford, pleads not guilty to rape on November 10 last year.

Mohammed Saddique, 25, of St George's Road, Watford, denies sexual assault on the same day.

Mr Bashir was arrested on November 12 last year. He told the police the girl had consented to sex in the car and said at no stage did she say no.

The police arrested Mr Saddique on November 23. He said he and the girl had only kissed and that it had been consensual.

The case continues.