Former Abertridwr OAP hits out at child rape 'lies' (From Campaign Series)

Former Abertridwr OAP hits out at child rape 'lies'

2:35pm Thursday 18th October 2012 in News

AN elderly man accused of raping children as young as eight has told a jury that "it's all lies’’ and the four claimants are colluding against him.

Reginald Davies, 78, denies 15 offences, including rape, over a 24-year period.

The pensioner, originally from Abertridwr, who was extradited from Western Australia in September last year, is accused of assaulting four young girls.

The majority of the charges relate to the 1950s but the attacks are alleged to have carried on until 1973, which is just before he moved to Australia.

When asked by his defence lawyer Mark Kimsey why these women have come forward up to 62 years after the alleged attacks occurred, he said he had thought a lot about why the trial was taking place.

He told a jury at Kingston Crown Court: "I rack my brains about this.

"I've thought many times, most nights...I think it's collusion.’’ He named one claimant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, as the one he believes started the collusion.

Asked if he sexually touched and later raped an eight-year-old girl at his parents' Welsh home in 1949, he said: "Definitely not, it's all lies.’’ Davies also denied that when he saw the woman years later, her husband confronted him about the assaults on his wife, saying that the three of them had "a wonderful day’’.

Davies was then asked about another child, who he is accused of taking to a back room at his parents' house to repeatedly rape between 1953 and 1957.

He acknowledged that the young girl and her family were regular visitors to his family home but denied raping her while in a house full of adults.

Davies said: "What opportunity would I have to do that?

"I can't imagine my family letting me take a young girl (to the back room) on my own.

"It's not on, is it?’’ He also denied offering aggressive sex to the same girl years later to help her abort an unwanted pregnancy.

When asked if he had sex with a third child, Davies became emotional and said: "Are you serious? No, definitely not’’ as he buried his head in his hands.

He also denied that years later, when the woman was also in Australia, he told her she had to have sex with him in exchange for gifts.

Davies also refuted allegations he fondled the fourth claimant on the day of his mother's funeral.

Under cross examination, prosecutor Hanna Llewellyn-Waters asked if he thought the accusation that he told the claimants to keep the attacks a secret, or they would be taken from their mothers and put into a "naughty girl's home’’, were lies.

"It was definitely a lie...I told you I think it's a collusion between the four of them.’’ Wearing a black suit with a blue shirt and tie, Davies stood with the aid of a walking stick.

Davies faces three charges of child rape, three charges of attempted rape, eight counts of indecent assault, and one count of indecency with a child.

He was arrested last July at his adopted home of Wanneroo on Australia's west coast after the allegations were reported in the UK in 2008.

With the earliest allegation dating back more than 62 years ago, it is thought to be one of the oldest criminal cases in UK legal history.

The trial continues.