DETAILS of a number of text messages allegedly sent by a social worker to her 15-year-old "lover" have been read to a jury.

One retrieved from the youth's mobile said "Forgot to thank you for everything you have done to get me out of trouble. Thankyou x."

And in another call a message to the boy read "Didn't know you could stoop so low".

The subject of the text messages surfaced when the boy was arrested and questioned over a complaint that he had harassed Lisa Smith.

The boy passed on information, as a result of which his 'phone was accessed and a number of text messages were discovered.

The evidence was heard on the fourth day of the Preston Crown Court trial where Smith, 26, of Victoria Street, Wheelton, denies a total of 16 charges of indecent assault. She has also pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice and witness intimidation.

It is claimed that Smith had sex with the boys at a home. One of them alleges that intercourse also took place in a Blackpool hotel room and at Blackburn's Waves swimming pool changing area.

The messages recovered from the phone's in-box included another which stated "Hope you are getting on and enjoying life. See you soon".

One read "Done enough damage" and another "When I said I had done the right thing by you, I meant you would be better, not that I had done the best thing for me".

The prosecution claim that Smith breached her position of trust and behaved inappropriately by forming sexual relationships with two 15-year- old boys at Glendale Community Home, Leyland where she worked.

It is suggested that she had sex with one of them as many as 30 times.

The allegations against her came to light when the other boy, now aged 16, was arrested and accused of harassing her. He spoke of having been seeing Smith for five or six months.

Although he admitted making abusive remarks, he asserted he was receiving lots of messages from her.

Police decided to make further inquiries. The following day Smith retracted her witness statement, no longer wanting to pursue her harassment complaint.

A special support assistant and school liaison officer, Sharon Smith, has told the court how the same boy last September approached her to say he thought he had a sexually transmitted infection.

He later went on to add that he had been seeing a Glendale staff member and was worried she might have caught something from him.

(Proceeding)