A 62-year-old man on trial accused of sexually abusing three children told a jury at Bradford Crown Court the claims were untrue and he was totally innocent.

Frank Jones, of Village Mews, Wilsden, Bradford, denies raping a girl and indecently assaulting her and another girl and a boy.

He faces a total of 17 charges, including two of rape, 13 of indecent assault and two of sexually abusing a male child.

The allegations date back to the mid 1970s when Jones was living in Bradford.

Yesterday, his barrister, Richard Wright QC, told the jury in his closing speech that the accusations were “unreliable and unsafe”.

He said Jones was a man of good character who did not have to prove his innocence. Character witnesses had given testimonials in support of him.

Mr Wright said the allegations stretched back 37 years and although one of the girls might really believe those early memories were true, they were not reliable.

He said the safe and proper verdicts on all the charges were ones of not guilty.

The trial continues.