Financial adviser, 39, who proudly proclaimed that his great great grandfather was Queen Victoria's Indian confidant Abdul Karim appears in court charged with raping girl, eight

A man who proudly proclaimed himself to be the great-great grandson of Queen Victoria's confidant Abdul Karim is in court facing multiple child sex offences.

Nabeel Syed, 39, is charged with 11 counts, including three rapes, against a girl who was just eight years old when the abuse is alleged to have started.

Just over three years ago, Mr Syed, a financial advisor from Leicester, showed off his remarkable collection of black and white photographs showing his relative Abdul and Queen Victoria after researching his family tree.

Karim was handpicked to help Queen Victoria learn about her Indian territories in the late 19th century and went on to be a Royal servant for 15 years. 

Three years ago Nabeel Syed boasted that his great great grandfather was Queen Victoria's confidant Abdul Karim and held up a black and white picture of them together. Now the 39-year-old financial adviser is on trial for sex offences against a girl aged eight

That connection came to light with the release of the film Victoria and Abdul in which Dame Judi Dench played the ageing monarch who became infatuated with her Indian servant, 36 years her junior. 

Mr Syed said at the time: 'I'm honoured to have that connection because Queen Victoria left such a legacy and is one of our most famous monarchs.

'He helped the Queen understand Indian culture, he taught her Urdu and introduced her to Indian curry and fruit and other foods.

'Despite their age gap, their relationship was very close and it is suggested there may have been a romantic connection but we don't know for sure.'

Syed's ancestor Mr Karim (with Victoria) was handpicked in the 19th century to teach the monarch about her Indian territories 

Now Mr Syed, whose great-great grandfather was actually Abdul Karim's brother Hazif Muhammad Abdul Aziz, denied all eleven counts against him at Leicester Crown Court

His alleged victim, now 16 years old, gave evidence on the first day of his jury trial and he is expected to give evidence in his defence this week.

Seven of the counts are alleged to have taken place between June 2012, when the alleged victim was eight, and June 2017.

A further four offences, including two rapes, are said to have happened on July 12 this year, shortly after the complainant turned 16.

On Friday, her best friend broke down in tears as she told the jury how she had gone round to the girl's garden in the summer and been told what had happened.

Asked by prosecutor Luke Blackburn what had been said, the girl replied: 'She said that a few days earlier he had raped her.'

Between sobs, she added: 'I did not know what to do. To know my best friend had been through that I did not know how to react or what to say.

'She said that her whole body froze. She was defenceless and did not know what to do. I felt broken for her.'

Syed , 39, from Leicester, is charged with 11 counts, including three rapes, against a girl who was just eight years old when the abuse is alleged to have started

Mr Karim struck up an extraordinary friendship with Queen Victoria (pictured together) despite their 36-year age gap as he introduced her to Indian culture 

Their remarkable friendship was turned into a movie called Victoria and Abdul, starring Dame Judi Dench as the lonely queen taken with her young servant 

She described her friend as being 'cold' and 'holding it in'.

Before that evidence was heard, the judge in charge of the trial, Mr Recorder McAdam had threatened to clear the public gallery after two onlooker sat there were accused of intimidating the defendant and the jury. 

'Another male has been acting in a way he should not,' said Recorder McAdam. 'Staring at the defendant in the dock in an intimidatory manner and also staring at the jury.

'This behaviour has been seen by members of both the prosecution and the defence.'

He excluded an un-named male from the public gallery and added: 'If this happens again I will have the person arrested and have no choice but to clear the public gallery.'

The trial continues.