A MAN accused of multiple sexual offences against two children has denied abusing them.

Kevin Robson, from Newton Aycliffe, preyed on the children over several years and bombarded them with text messages after they lost contact, a court heard.

Teesside Crown Court was told one complainant was forced by the 55-year-old to engage in indecent activity, was kissed by him and was told to throw away clothing to remove evidence of his abuse.

The child suffered nightmares and needed counselling but decided to report the alleged attacks years later due to being riddled with guilt at the prospect of him abusing someone else.

David Hall, prosecuting, said Robson touched one of the children inappropriately and they were forced to change their phone numbers after being bombarded with text messages from him.

He said one complainant had a call from Robson on their 13th birthday, but didn't want to speak to him. Several years later he added them as a friend on Facebook, which "sparked it all off”.

During a police interview, the first complainant said the abuse gave them nightmares and years later they resorted to contacting a counselling service for support.

The complainant said: “I just did it. I was a child and wanted to make people happy. I was used to making the adults in my life happy. I thought that must be what people did. If he was asking me to do that then that is what I was suppose to do.

“When he touched me, that was when I first got scared. I knew it was wrong and he wasn’t allowed to do stuff like that. I kept saying no and he stopped.

“Some times it was worse than others and I'd get upset. I had nightmares so I phoned a counselling service.”

Giving evidence from behind a screen in court, the witness added: “I didn’t tell anyone. I let it continue so it didn’t happen to anyone else. If it happened to me he would leave someone else alone.”

But during cross examination Martin Towers, defending, probed the complainant as to why those allegations were not initially reported to the police.

The witness said: “I am not going to sit here and say it is as clear as what happened yesterday, but I know what happened to me.”

Robson, of Merlin Court, Newton Aycliffe, denied seven counts of inciting a child under the age of 14 to commit an act of indecency and one count of indecent assault to a child under the age of 14.

The trial continues.