A NEWPORT man has pleaded not guilty to a number of child sexual abuse charges dating back to the 1990s.

Clint Derek Roberts, 48, of Hereford Street, Newport, appeared at Newport Crown Court accused of 12 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency with a child.

The charges relate to two girls and were alleged to have been carried out during the 1990s.

Six of the charges relate to indecent assault with a female under the age of 13 and were alleged to have taken place between 1990 and 1993.

There are also three charges of gross indecency with a child under the age of 14 during the same time period.

Two charges relate to indecent assault with the second female under the age of 13 between 1990 and 1992. The third charge relates to gross indecency with a child under the age of 14 during the same period.

Mr Roberts has denied all of the charges.

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In the opening statement, the prosecution explained how the victims felt like they had a crush on the defendant and lavished his attention. They say the abuse stopped when they moved away from the area due to problems at home. The first victim decided to approach the police in 2017 after a chance meeting at a local pub with the defendant, who it was claimed approached the victim and her partner saying he recognised her.

At the time, the victim did not recognise the defendant, but when names were mentioned, she said, ‘she went white’ and decided to report the incident after realising that what had happened wasn't right.

The defendant said that the accusations were malicious and untrue, and he did not know why he was being targeted.

The court was played a recording of the first victim’s police interview in which she described what she recalled of the period the abuse is alleged to have taken place. In the interview, she said she was unsure how many times the incidents took place and recalled how the defendant would sit on the edge of her bed and slide his hands under the covers before touching her.

The trial continues.