A WIFE helped her husband rape three teenage girls after befriending them with alcohol and cigarettes, a jury heard.

Blonde Avril Griffiths, 61, allegedly "groomed" the girls for her husband Peter Griffiths, 65, to rape over 20 years.

A court heard the wife told one girl: "Don't worry, it's not going to hurt" as Peter Griffiths began to rape her.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC said the pair "repeatedly sexually abused three young girls" between the 1970s and 1990s.

A court heard the couple gave one girl vodka before forcing her to pose for indecent photos with them while they were naked.

Peter Griffiths then allegedly raped the girl and said she could not get pregnant "because he had a vasectomy".

Ms Rees said the couple would also take the girl "dogging".

Ms Rees said: "The male defendant would have sex with her in the back of a van while others looked on."

The court heard the girl was passed around to other men.

Ms Rees said: "She was used in effect as a sex toy for the gratification of others."

The court heard the girl was also taken on a boat in the Bristol Channel where she was raped by Peter Griffiths.

Avril Griffiths also allegedly sexually assaulted the girl on the boat.

The girl later told police she had been "ripped apart physically" after suffering injuries.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Peter Griffiths raped another girl in bed while she was "held down" by Avril Griffiths.

The girl was around 13-years-old at the time.

The court heard Peter Griffiths encouraged a third girl to pose for topless photos when she was 14 or 15 – telling her she would make "good money."

She was then allegedly raped by the couple – as Avril Griffiths told her: "Don't worry, it's not going to hurt."

Ms Rees said: "Both these defendants together repeatedly sexually abused three young girls.

"The defendants together exploited each of these children in order to satisfy their sexual needs."

The alleged offences took place between 1978 and 1993.

Peter Griffiths, of Barry, pleaded not guilty to eight counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault and three counts of taking indecent photographs of a child.

Avril Griffiths, also of Barry, pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape, three counts of taking indecent photographs of a child, and two counts of indecent assault.

The trial at Cardiff Crown Court continues.