AN ex-Conservative councillor told police he was ‘devastated’ by the allegations he had raped a young boy.
David Smith was arrested and interviewed after the accusations came to light in 2016 and has maintained his innocence throughout.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 33-year-old was accused of systematically abusing one boy after spending up to £10,000 grooming one of his alleged victims.
The former Middlesbrough councillor is also accused of flashing at another young boy before attempting to persuade him to touch his genitals.
Jurors heard a transcript of Smith’s police interviews where the defendant vehemently denied all of the allegations made against him.
When asked about the charges in interview Smith said: "I'll say this I completely deny it. I completely deny the allegation of rape."
Smith, of Rainsford Crescent, Middlesbrough, denies 11 counts of inciting or engaging in sexual activity with a child.
It is alleged that he carried out systematic abuse over a number of years more than a decade ago before the allegations came to light in 2016.
Earlier in the trial, jurors heard how the first alleged victim’s abuse became increasingly more and more serious over the years and the defendant spent up to £10,000 grooming the young boy.
The first complainant said in police interview how the impact of alleged abuse had a lasting effect on his life.
He told officers: “It gradually got more and more as it gone along until he was basically molesting me,” he said. “But I gradually thought ‘this is wrong’, I knew then that he shouldn’t be doing that but I said nothing because I was embarrassed.”
The trial continues.
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