A PENSIONER accused of molesting two young girls in Cirencester told police: "I am not a paedophile - never was and never will be," a jury heard today.

Former Ministry of Defence worker Michael Winley, 74, said the allegation that he had regularly abused a girl aged between nine and 12 in the late 1970s was “sheer fabrication”.

During a series of interviews with the police, he said he had not been sexually motivated when he took pictures of two young girls who visited his home to look at his dolls house collection in 2013 and 2014.

One of the girls, who was aged eight at the time, has alleged that he sexually assaulted her during one of the visits.

Mr Winley, who is standing trial at Gloucester Crown Court accused of 12 charges of sexual and indecent assault of two girls, said he had never been attracted to children.

The jury has heard that all of the allegations against Mr Winley came to light after the eight-year-old girl told her mother that he had photographed her in his home last summer.

Her mum called the police who found images of her daughter and another girl of about the same age on his computer.

Five of the images focusing on the girls' knickers were deemed by the police to be illegal and the jury has been told that Mr Winley has since admitted five charges of taking indecent photographs in relation to them.

The eight-year-old girl told police officers that Mr Winley had kissed her on the lips “lots of times” and told her that she needed “five cuddles a day”, the court has heard.

After hearing that Mr Winley had been arrested, a woman now in her late 40s contacted police to tell them she had been repeatedly assaulted by him when she was a girl in the late 1970s.

Today, summaries of Mr Winley’s three interviews with the police between August and December last year were read to the jury.

"I have never taken indecent photographs of children - only clothed," he stated. "I have never interfered with any children."

On one occasion, he said, a girl had come to him with a new dress on and wanted him to photograph her. He explained that he was artistic and painted and drew and would sometimes take photos to help with that.

But he denied there was “anything sinister” in the photos.

Asked about kissing the girl last year, he said the kisses would have been on the forehead or cheek, not the lips.

"Maybe I am naive - it is something I have done all my years," he said.

Asked about the historic allegations dating back to the 70s, he said it was “sheer fabrication”.

He asked the police at one interview if he could read a prepared statement in which he said: "I am not a paedophole. Never was and never will be.

“I have served my country and my county to the best of my ability. I am not sexually attracted to young girls or young women. I have no sexual interest.

"Children inspire my paintings, drawings and the writing of short stories along with general photographs. I have been a good father and a well-loved grandfather.

"I may be a little naive but if I have caused any undue stress to anyone I would like to say sorry."

Mr Winley said he had run a youth club for 25 years and an It's a Knockout style competition for children from local schools, as well as serving as a parish councillor.

He also told police he had been a bowls champion and had organised a pantomime.

But he had to give up his activities after a stroke in 1999 which left him without sexual interest or libido, he said.

Mr Winley, formerly of Kingsway in Cirencester but now of no fixed address, denies two charges of sexual assault of a girl between April 2013 and August 2014.

He also denies 10 charges of indecently assaulting a girl between July 1975 and July 1980.

The trial continues tomorrow.