AN alleged paedophile accused of sexually molesting a girl from the age of six says she is making the whole thing up.

Leslie Belcher entered the witness box at Worcester Crown Court where he told a jury he had only ever had 'play fights' and 'rough and tumble' with the girl, as well as applying 'muscle rub' and 'stretching her out' after she had been dancing.

Swearing an oath on the Bible, the 64-year-old of St Clement's Close, St John's, Worcester, denied that he had ever spanked her with a belt, tied her up in a horse shelter and stripped her naked, sexually assaulted her or pulled up her top.

In total he denies 14 counts - 10 counts of sexual assault upon a child under 13, one of sexual assault, one of false imprisonment, one of assault a child by penetration and one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The charges span a period between November 4, 2012 and July 8, 2020.

With the assistance of an intermediary to assist his understanding, Belcher answered questions from his barrister, Giles Nelson, and was then cross-examined by prosecutor Daniel Wright.

Belcher told the jury he was divorced, his parents were both dead, and he had been brought up in Warndon, Worcester.

He described a series of health complaints he suffered from - chronic kidney disease, acute bronchitis, hypertension and difficulties with his eyesight which had resulted in two operations, one on each eye.

Belcher, who uses a stick, also explained that he had two displaced vertebrae following an accident, that he suffered from headaches and blackouts. When asked how often he was ever alone with the complainant, the former cleaner replied 'not very often'.

He accepted that he sometimes acted as a babysitter. Belcher told the jury that he stretched out the complainant to help her back and would apply muscle rub but that another adult would have been present.

On one occasion he said the complainant had requested he apply muscle rub to her knee, asking him: "Can't you do it Les?"

Belcher denied ever being alone with the complainant at a horse shelter and said he had never lifted up her clothing, exposing her chest.

"It's suggested you sexually interfered with her for many, many years between the ages of six and 10?" said Mr Nelson. Belcher replied 'no'. He added: "It's untrue."

Asked if he had tied her up in a horse shed, Belcher said 'definitely not'. He denied striking or spanking her bottom.

Mr Wright, for the prosecution, said: "The sense I get is that you were really shocked by what the complainant alleged. Is that correct?"

Belcher replied 'yes'. He also accepted, when put to him, that the allegations 'came out of the blue'.

Mr Wright referred to Belcher's 'full comment' interview in which he mentioned 'rough and tumble' with the complainant. Belcher described this in the witness box as 'just rolling around, play fighting' and 'playing around'. "That was it" he told the jury.

Mr Wright put it to him that none of the the sexual allegations 'could be confused with the kind of touching you did." Belcher agreed.

"All of these things she has said, she just made up?" said Mr Wright.

Belcher answered 'yes'.

"Completely made up?" said Mr Wright.

Again Belcher answered 'yes'.

The trial continues.