A CWMBRAN man accused of abusing a boy under 16 said there was nothing indecent about him keeping a naked photo of his alleged victim on his computer, a jury heard today.

David Jeffries, aged 59, of Orchid Court, denies all seven charges against him: three counts of indecently assaulting a child under 12; one count of sexual activity with a child under 13; two counts of sexual activity with a child under 16; and one count of sexual activity in the presence of a child. He’s on bail.

The allegations were made by the complainant to the police on February 26 of last year and relate to alleged abuse over a 10-year period, when the alleged victim was under the age of 16.

On Monday, Mike Hammett, representing the prosecution, told a jury at Newport Crown Court that police found a naked photo of the complainant on Jeffries’ ACER computer.

Giving evidence today, Jeffries, a father of two, said that although he didn’t remember taking the photo, it could have been his.

He said: “The photo is well composed and I’m a keen photographer. It’s a good photo and I don’t think it’s obscene in any way.”

His defence barrister, Ieuan Bennett, questioned: “Did you intend anything obscene or sexual by that?”

He replied: “Absolutely not. Certainly nothing sexual.”

In his first police interview, the complainant told police that he had been around eight at the time of the photo, but, when cross examined by defence barrister Ieuan Bennett today, he admitted he could have been closer to 14.

Mr Bennett queried: “Let’s just assume you just got this wrong and instead of you being eight, you were 13 and a half.

“Does that mean when you talk later about your first account to the police, you should really be adding five years?”

The alleged victim replied: “Not every detail, just this one. Obviously, I can’t remember the details correctly but we have evidence that corresponds with the time.”

The complainant’s father also took to the witness box today and recalled the moment his son phoned his mother and told her about the alleged abuse in the middle of the night.

He said: “It was just that he seemed distressed on the phone, like something was wrong.

“He came into the bedroom because I was asleep in the bed and sat on the bed.

“He was virtually burying his head in my wife’s shoulder in tears.”

Mr Hammett, for the prosecution, queried: “How did you feel when he told you?”

He replied: “Shocked.”

Proceeding