A MAN accused of a string of historic child sex abuse charges told jurors he never carried out any sex assault and was out of the country for much of the time.

Rachid El-Barhdadi, of Bagley Close, Kennington denies six counts alleging indecent and sexual assault against one child – who is now a woman, and who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutors at Oxford Crown Court allege that the 53-year old abused the child, performing sex acts on her numerous times in the early 2000s.

As his trial continued yesterday he took to the witness box to deny the incidents ever took place.

He told jurors: “Absolutely not. What can I say, I never once went into [the room the alleged victim was in].

“I never bought that stuff [lubricant he os alleged to have used], I get embarrassed even to buy a condom.”

El-Barhdadi also said that he was out of the country frequently around the period of the allegations.

He said: “At the time I remember I have seen [the alleged victim] maybe two or three times but for the rest […] I went to Morocco that time because we had things to do.”

He explained that his parents, who were at the time elderly and living in Morocco where he grew up, were in poor health and in need of support.

Asked how the allegations coming to light made him feel he said: “It’s not an allegation you could ever want to hear, that is a serious matter.

“I felt bad, very upset.”

The trial continues.