THE alleged victim of childhood sexual abuse wept in the witness box as she was told she had 'talked up' and 'exaggerated' her claims.

The complainant gave evidence behind a screen at Worcester Crown Court yesterday about sexual abuse she claims she suffered at the hands of Philip Oliver in Worcester during the 1970s. The 70-year-old defendant of Wilson Road, Shurdington, near Cheltenham, denies 12 child sexual offences in Dines Green between 1971 and 1980, beginning when the girl was four or five years old - six indecent assaults, four counts of indecency, one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under 16 and one count of attempting to have sexual intercourse with a girl aged under 16.

The alleged victim told police about the abuse in 1993 after she had been arrested for stealing a Worcester Porcelain figurine.

Adam Western, for Oliver, asked her if she had told police about alleged abuse to 'deflect their attention from what you were suspected of doing' and so that police would 'go easy on you' to which she replied 'no sir'. She was asked about instructing a solicitor regarding applying for compensation following the alleged abuse.

The complainant said she was not thinking about getting a specific amount but that the money could be used to fund more private therapy sessions. The witness denied believing she would only receive compensation if Oliver was convicted.

Mr Western said she had told her therapist about kissing, touching and fondling but nothing about the more serious sexual allegations she went on to tell the police about in May 2016.

Mr Western asked her if she had said to her therapist that some of the thoughts she had about Oliver had 'come to you in dreams'. She said: "I used to have nightmares and I still do."

Mr Western said Oliver had been reported by the complainant in 1993 but had never been charged and the police had used the phrase 'no further action'. He also said the complainant's own hand-written notes said 'touching, kissing and fondling' was 'all' he had done with 'all' in capital letters. "Have you exaggerated what you say Mr Oliver did?" said Mr Western. She replied 'no sir'.

"You have tried to talk it up" said Mr Western. She said 'excuse me' and then 'no sir'. The trial continues.