A CUB scout leader yesterday (Wednesday October 22) denied he had ever been alone with a young boy he is accused of sexually assaulting in a church hall cupboard.

Christopher Blakeborough was repeatedly asked by police whether there had been any circumstances in which he had been on his own with the alleged victim.

The 27-year-old was quizzed about taking the boy into the cupboard on the pretext of fitting him out for a jumper, which was part of his uniform.

However, he said while he was familiar with the store cupboard, he had never taken the complainant in there, nor any other cub scout.

Mr Blakeborough, of Abbey Road, Darlington, also denied taking the boy in his car on his own, although he said he had given him and his mother lifts at the same time.

In recorded interviews read out at Teesside Crown Court he was asked to describe the alleged victim.

He replied he was “quiet, shy, a bit of a loner”. He also said the boy sometimes got upset and would get worked up when left by his mother at scout camp.

Mr Blakeborough said he had no problem with the complainant personally and did not know why he had left the cub scout group he was in charge of.

He said: “He may have moved onto scouts. Sometimes they just drop out because it is not seen as cool.”

The prosecution say Mr Blakeborough used the jumper as a “ruse” to lure the boy away from his home. After taking him into the cupboard, he allegedly touched him just above his crotch and also had him drop his trousers and pants.

The defendant is also accused of a separate sex assault against another young cub scout who claims he was spanked on the bottom as part of what Mr Blakeborough called an “initiation”. The alleged victim said this left him disgusted and embarrassed. He has denied assertions from Jo Kidd, defending, that the assault was in fact carried out by other boys.

Mr Blakeborough has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault and the trial continues.