THE ex-partner of a man accused of historic sex offences against children told a court how she came home from work late at night to find him in bed with a child.

June Smith was giving evidence on the fourth day of the trial of Stanley Simpson, who is alleged to have sexually abused five boys and two girls, aged eight to 15, over two decades up to about 2000.

Miss Smith told the court she lived with the defendant, initially in Pennywell, Sunderland, but later at Ouston, near Chester-le-Street, during the course of their nine-year relationship.

She told Durham Crown Court that she worked as a chef at an Italian restaurant in Sunderland city centre and often came home late at night or into the earlier hours.

Towards the end of their relationship, when she was no longer sharing a bed with Mr Simpson, she would sleep in a different room, when she came home from work.

She said: “I saw them in the same bed, but I never saw anything untoward. Nothing like that.”

Earlier in the trial, the same boy, now in his mid-30s, gave evidence to say that the defendant did abuse him, after giving him alcohol and showing him horror films.

The 50-year-old defendant, of Peniston Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, denies 34 charges, including six of rape.

The trial continues on Monday (February 1).