THE alleged victim of a former Humberside Police chief accused of rape and abuse told a court how she turned to drink as a child.

The jury in the trial of Alec Edward Alexander heard how the woman drank every day when she was 12 to “forget about everything”.

Ex-chief superintendent Alexander, of Woodhill Rise, Hessle, is currently on trial for six sexual offences against the alleged victim.

The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said: “When I was 12 I would drink every day.

“At first I would drink everything but then I started to drink vodka to conceal the smell.

“I used to drink every day at school, but none of my friends knew. Nobody knew.

“I needed to numb everything, to forget about it.”

Alexander denies one charge of raping a girl between January 1992 and December 1992 and four counts of indecent assault on a girl aged under 14 between January 1983 and December 1988.

The 61-year-old also denies taking an indecent photograph between January 1983 and December 1990.

The court heard the first incident took place when the girl was just seven years old.

He has already pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing indecent images.

Alexander retired from Humberside Police in 2000 after serving in the force for 30 years.

The trial continues.