Two Bradford brothers told a jury they were innocent of claims they had raped and sexually assaulted two young girls in allegations dating back more than 40 years.

David Woolham, 60, of Highgate Road, Clayton Heights, and 59-year-old wheelchair-bound Peter Woolham, of Prospect Street, Buttershaw, gave evidence at Bradford Crown Court yesterday to deny the allegations.

The prosecution alleges the brothers assaulted two girls over a period of eight years. David Woolham is also alleged to have assaulted a third victim. In total, they deny 12 offences, between 1965 and 1982.

David Woolham is accused of three offences of rape and two of indecent assault.

His younger brother is charged with four offences of rape, two of indecent assault and one of gross indecency.

Prosecutor Gerald Hendron has told the jury that two of the alleged victims were now in their 50s and the third in her 30s.

One woman claimed she was raped by David Woolham at her home when she was 11, and that both brothers sexually abused her. She said Peter Woolham would give her two shillings and sixpence after raping her.

The second woman claimed both men sexually assaulted her from her being the age of six.

Yesterday, Peter Woolham, giving evidence from his wheelchair in the well of the court, told the jury he had no sexual contact at all with the first woman.

Asked by his barrister, Patrick Robertshaw, about allegations by the second woman that he had touched her in a sexual way on a number of occasions, he replied: “No, no way.”

He also categorically denied giving the girl money at the time of alleged sex acts and said he did not give her a silver cross.

He said: “I never had a silver cross. I never gave her any jewellery at all.”

He told the court he had married when he was 27, had three children and three grandchildren, but was now divorced.

The trial continues.