A WEDDING photographer accused of raping a young boy when he was a teenager has denied sexually assaulting the alleged victim.

Christopher Todd accepts he played on his PlayStation with his accuser but categorically denied any sexual impropriety took place when the pair met as children.

The 31-year-old is accused of raping the complainant on two occasions when he was aged ten or 11 in his parents Darlington home.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the complainant assaulted Todd in the car park of the town’s B&M shop when they bumped into each other in April 2019.

Following the violent confrontation Todd reported the incident to the police and was again attacked by his accuser when he smashed a pair of his glasses.

Todd told jurors he had no idea why the complainant attacked him in the shop's car park when he was giving evidence during his trial.

Defence barrister Christine Egerton asked the defendant if he had ever been in his bedroom playing on his computer game with his accuser, Todd simply said: "No."

He said he had a 'vague' recollection of playing on the PlayStation with him when he was younger but the games machine was set up in his parents lounge, not his bedroom.

Miss Egerton asked him what happened in the car park of B&M, he replied: "He said to me 'do you remember what you did to me as a kid?' and I said I have no idea what you are talking about.

"He said 'you assaulted me and raped me – you're a paedophile' and I said I have no idea what you are talking about."

Miss Egerton asked: "How did you feel at the time?" Todd said: "I thought it was a joke, I was waiting for someone just to come and say it was a joke."

The jury heard that following the clash in the car park the alleged victim sent Todd a message telling him he wanted him to admit what he had done or he would tell the police.

Under cross examination from prosecuting barrister Paul Abrahams, Todd said he was 'bewildered' by the allegations as he had not seen the man for about 20 years.

His mother, Sandra Todd, who has since passed-away, dismissed the claim that her son was a sex offender.

In her evidence she said: “I find the accusations made against Christopher completely unbelievable, they were never left unsupervised.”

In the defence's closing statement, Miss Egerton urged the jury to find her client not guilty when they retire to consider their verdict.

She said: "If Christopher Todd did this then why did he go to the police station to report the assault?"

Todd, of Grangeside, Darlington, pleaded not guilty to eight charges including two of rape, sexual activity with a child and indecent assault.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict this morning.