A MAN accused of sexually abusing four young girls in Oxford in the 1970s and 1980s told jurors the attacks 'never happened'.

As the trial into alleged historical sex offences continued at Oxford Crown Court yesterday Arthur Shefford took to the witness box to profess his innocence.

The 77-year-old of Abingdon Road, Oxford, is accused of indecently assaulting four children who were aged between four and 11 about 40 years ago.

Shefford, meanwhile, denies all nine counts of indecent assault as well as one count of indecency with a child alleged to have taken place in the 1970s and 1980s.

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From the witness box the father-of-three told jurors that he had never taken the children for rides on his horse, where some of the alleged offences are said to have occurred.

He repeated that the allegations were false and that he had not sexually abused any of his claimed four child victims.

Shefford said of one of his alleged victims - none of whom can be named for legal reasons - that he didn't know or have any recollection of ever seeing her before.

Answering one specific allegation of indecent assault against one child he explained that the girl had fallen from a tree and been stung by nettles.

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Shefford said that when he saw her he had used a dock leaf on the girl to 'administer' medicine and denied any illicit activity ever taking place.

Jurors also heard how in 1979 Shefford admitted two separate counts of indecent assault again involving children.

During cross examination yesterday it was put to Shefford that he simply 'does not want to accept' that he engaged in inappropriate behaviour with children during that period, an assertion he denied.

Explaining why he committed those other offences he said it was 'spur of the moment' and he now regretted it.

Shefford also told jurors that while he had pleaded guilty to one offence of putting his hands down one girl's trousers he now said that he had not done that act.

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He told jurors yesterday he 'didn't realise' there were two allegations.

Earlier in the trial prosecutor Fern Russell said that Shefford had been at the time 'trusted by adults and children alike'.

The television repair and rental man was described by one alleged victim as a 'pillar of the community' and also called a local 'character'.

One woman said that she was abused while on a horse Shefford owned called Sugar.

In a video recorded interview with police played to the court she recounted what she claims happened.

She said that after the first incident of indecent assault sexual abuse 'became normal' and attacks would happen on multiple occasions.

She said: "All of his times with me were opportunistic. It was not on a daily basis or a weekly basis, they were opportunistic.

"I don't know how many times it happened, a lot of times, it just became normal if you like."

Another woman claimed that she was left feeling 'disgusting' and 'filthy' after her alleged ordeal.

She said: "I felt filthy, horrible, and he should not be able to do what he was doing."

The trial continues.