A SIXTY-two-year-old man allegedly raped and abused a young boy and girl while playing with them in a home-made den in his attic.

Peter Wells allegedly played hide and seek with the children as well ask going into the attic where he told them the sexual activity was part of a game.

The children were aged just four and five when the alleged abuse took place in the 1990s – some of which took place in Kingsteignton – and only became aware that what he was doing was wrong when they grew older.

Wells, aged 62, of Butts Close, Witheridge, north Devon, denies one count of rape and 11 of indecent assault or gross indecency against the boy and three counts of rape and five of indecent assault against the girl.

He says he has no memory of any of the incidents but says it is impossible for him to have committed them because they are completely out of character.

Miss Fiona Elder, prosecuting, said all the offences happened at houses at Witheridge and Kingsteignton between 1994 and 2001 when the boy was aged five to eleven and the girl was aged four to nine.

She said neither went to the police at the time although the boy later told his mother he had suffered abuse. They both went to the police in 2015 and an investigation was launched.

Miss Elder said the boy gave a video taped interview in which he described how the abuse started when he visited Wells at his home.

She said: ’He said he would play games with Wells and they would build a den in the attic. Other offences took place in his bedroom. They happened when Mr Wells’ wife was downstairs going about her ordinary daily life.

’Wells began to touch the boy and it progressed so the child was made to touch him, culminating in penetration and rape. He was very young when it started and was made to be part of a game.

’It seems to have ended after the rape, which coincided with a time when the boy was getting older and beginning to understand what was happening was very wrong.

’Not surprisingly, the rape hurt him and it scared him that Wells was causing him pain. He can recall going to the bathroom and crying.

’The girl recalled going to Wells’ house and playing hide and seek. He took her swimming and they also played in the den in the attic. She remembers the touching and says sometimes it was uncomfortable.’

Miss Elder said the sexual activity progressed to repeated rapes, during which she froze or pretended to be asleep. It ended when she was about nine and learned the facts of life from her mother.

The trial continues.