A PENSIONER from Cirencester is standing trial accused of sexually abusing two young girls in the town.

Michael Winley, 74, is alleged to have molested a girl on multiple occasions between 1975 and 1978, when she was aged between nine and 12.

Winley, who used to live in Kingsway in Cirencester but is now of no fixed address, is also accused of kissing an eight-year-old girl on the lips and touching her sexually between 2013 and 2014.

He is accused of a total of 12 charges and his trial began at Gloucester Crown Court today.

The jury was shown a video recording of an interview between a police officer and the eight-year-old girl, in which she said Winley had told her to lie on him and that she needed five hugs a day.

Giving evidence in court, the girl’s grandmother explained that the girl used to visit Winley and his partner at their home where he would show her his collection of dolls houses.

She said that one day the girl came to her in a shocked state after visiting Winley and told her that he had asked to take an indecent picture of her.

She said: “She came running into the kitchen and said Michael has asked me to pull my knickers down to take a photo.”

But the grandmother told the court she allowed the girl to continue to see Winley.

She said: “ I just didn’t know what to do at the time, to be honest. I never took it on fully. I am beating myself up about it now.”

When being cross examined by defence solicitor Paul Trotman, via a video link, the girl said that Winley used to hug and kiss her only when her grandmother and his partner were not around.

But when Mr Trotman asked the girl if she had laid on Winley, she replied “no”.

When discussing the charges relating to the 1970s, Prosecutor David Maunder said Winley had asked the girl if she wanted to make a baby with him but she refused.

Mr Maunder added: “He told her if she told anyone what was happening she would never see her mother again.”

The trial continues.

The jury was told that Winley has already pleaded guilty to taking indecent pictures of the eight-year-old girl and a girl aged five.