The passage of time has made it difficult for a former principal of a children's home to defend himself against sex abuse allegations, a jury was told.

Brian Gillam could not come up with alibi evidence after more than 20 years had elapsed from the time he was in charge of The Uplands in Green Hill, Blackwell, near Bromsgrove, said his barrister James Burbidge QC.

But he said the home was "not an island" and had frequent, unannounced visits from social workers, councillors, psychiatrists and police.

If teenage girls had been molested by Gillam, complaints would have been made at the time. Yet the only complaint had been about him moving his teenage lover into a bungalow in the home's grounds which led to his demotion, said Mr Burbidge.

Gillam, aged 62, denies four counts of rape and six of indecent assault.

A judge at Worcester Crown Court has directed the jury to acquit him of another count of rape, an indecent assault and a charge of indecency with a child.

Gillam was principal of the home between 1975 and 1985, where it is alleged he attacked girls in his care.

In his summing-up to the jury on Monday, Mr Burbidge said: "If he had a genuine defence, it is lost in the mists of time. The antiquity of charges can cause significant problems because limited material can lead to unfairness."

He maintained that Gillam was always under the microscope and any improper conduct would have been spotted.

The girls were "not shy violets" but had bucked the educational system and in some cases indulged in criminal behaviour.

Mr Burbidge said girls who had a tendency to run away from the home risked being whistle-blowers on any misbehaviour by staff.

He claimed Gillam never took girls to his bungalow on their own when they carried out chores. They were always in groups.

Rachel Brand QC, prosecuting, recalled one teacher who described Gillam as "a powerful and arrogant man." He was capable of taking risks and swept away any protests from staff.

She told the jury they had to assess whether the witnesses were telling the truth or had motives for falsifying evidence such as compensation claims.

Miss Brand alleged Gillam groomed girls at his bungalow for sexual abuse and had tried to bluff it out during his trial.

The jury was sent out yesterday (Tuesday) by Judge Michael Mott to consider their verdicts.