A man accused of kidnapping and raping a 14-year-old boy has told a crown Court jury that it was the boy who picked him up.

Raymond Paxton is alleged to have grabbed the teenager from Bradford Interchange before taking him back to his flat where he is said to have raped him.

But 72-year-old Paxton, who denies kidnap and rape, told Bradford Crown Court yesterday, it was the boy who approached him.

He said the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, went up to him as he was leaving the Interchange in February, 2003.

"He said, 'Do you want business?'" Paxton told the court.

"I said I could not help him because I am unable to have sexual activity with anyone and he replied, 'There's other things we could do," and I was a bit confused."

Paxton said they agreed a fee of £10 and the youngster voluntarily went with him back to his flat at Brunel Gardens in Little Horton.

But when they got there he caught the boy going through his drawers and when the youngster said he was raising his fee to £30 he asked him to leave.

He claimed that he did not see the boy again until after he had made the allegations.

He was asked by his barrister, Adrian Dent, if he had forced the boy from the Interchange.

"No, it's nonsense," Paxton replied. "I'm an old man now. I couldn't force him all that way with me. I'm not the deviant person I'm supposed to be.

"I hope to God the person that did it gets locked up and stays locked up."

When interviewed by police he said he could not remember any white boy coming to his flat and only remembered that the complainant had been there after seeing a taped interview the boy gave to police.

Earlier the court had heard from Martin Gray, a security guard at the Interchange, who said he had started keeping a log on Paxton who was a persistent visitor there.

Mr Gray said he had often had to ask Paxton to leave. He said: "He was acting in a strange manner at the time. He was visiting the gents' toilets on numerous occasions. He looked very suspicious to me at the time."

The trial continues.