AN RAF employee claimed he was falsely accused of an alleged sex offence in a tent because of a personal vendetta against his family.

Drew Bradbury told police that two "young lads" had invited the girls in to the tent to make up a complaint against him.

Defence counsel Kim Aitken insisted there had been five complaints about misbehaviour by a number of youths at the national camp for young firefighters at Blackwell Court, near Bromsgrove.

She also claimed that witnesses were in danger of being contaminated because they and Bradbury were given the same appointment, by police, to attend an identification parade.

No tents

Bradbury, aged 19, of Farriers Corner, Droitwich, maintained he had not been inside any tent on the site.

He denies inciting a 15-year-old girl to commit an act of gross indecency on him.

The prosecution alleged he entered the tent uninvited, made lewd suggestions, and asked one of the three occupants to perform oral sex on him.

Bradbury was arrested on Saturday, September 14, last year, a month after the camp. The girls told police they heard him say he was in the RAF.

In a police interview, Bradbury said he went to the camp after his girlfriend made a complaint about a youth. He wanted to calm her down.

Kicked out

He told officers there were people at the camp who had "got it in" for him and wanted him kicked out of the RAF.

He had "a good idea" who they were but did not elaborate and name anyone, the jury heard. He said the complaint was malicious and part of a vendetta.

Bradbury denied any misbehaviour and said he would "not stoop that low".

The defendant was picked out as the tent intruder, by two girls, in a police identification parade.

Miss Aitken suggested the girls had put their heads together and exaggerated their evidence.

PC Gregor Moorman, who conducted the police investigation, said he was not aware of five complaints from people who attended the 400-strong camp.

The trial continues.