The trial of a West Coast farm worker who fled to Australia after allegedly raping a young girl is underway in the Christchurch District Court.

42-year-old Richard Boyd denies raping a child under 12-years-old on a West Coast farm in July 2011, and three other charges of sexual connection.

Boyd was originally arrested on the charges in 2011, but was granted electronically monitored bail on the condition he surrender his passport.

But on an approved trip to the doctor, four days before the start of his trial, Boyd fled to Christchurch where he used a passport obtained using his wife's surname to board a flight to Sydney.

He was extradited back to New Zealand in January last year.

Crown prosecutor Claire Hislop has told the jury that Boyd's attempts to flee are an "important piece of evidence".