A jury is today considering its verdicts in the case of a man accused of sexually abusing five girls in a period lasting two decades.

They will decide if Keith Merville Phillips, 64, raped and indecently assaulted two girls repeatedly.

He is also alleged to have sexually abused three more girls on one occasion each. Phillips, of Huntington, formerly of Selby and now of no fixed address, denies five charges of rape, nine of indecent assault, one of sexual assault and one of sexual activity with a child. All five were children at the time of the charges.

Opening the prosecution at York Crown Court, Richard Woolfall said one of the first two girls went to the police shortly after Phillips allegedly raped her more than 20 years ago.

Phillips was interviewed but not prosecuted and the authorities took steps involving the girl.

“The defendant, the Crown say, was emboldened, the defendant was almost arrogant,” alleged Mr Woolfall. “He had got away with it.”

The jury heard the girl claim that the abuse continued and that Phillips repeatedly raped her.

The jury also heard evidence that others associated with the girl had claimed she lied on a daily basis.

The jury was told the second girl contacted the police many years ago alleging Phillips had abused her, but again no action was taken against him.

A third girl was allegedly abused and the remaining two were abused more than four years ago, claimed Mr Woolfall.

The jury has seen a text message sent by the fourth girl alleging Phillips had been behaving in a “weird” way towards her.

When he gave evidence, Phillips denied behaving improperly towards any of the girls on any occasion.

“You have done what you wanted,” suggested Mr Woolfall.

“No,” replied Phillips.

“For your own sexual desires and needs, haven’t you?” asked Mr Woolfall.

“No,” replied Phillips.

Phillips also denied putting pressure on any witness to make false accounts or threatening the first two girls.

He told the jury he had worked at food and furniture manufacturers in the York and Selby area.

He denied playing a game with one of the first girls in which the prosecution alleged he paid her a pound every time she drank a can of beer.