A 44-year-old Eldene man accused of sexually abusing two teenagers has admitted sleeping in the same bed as one of them when he was aged 15 years.

But Craig Taylor told a jury at the crown court that nothing sexual happened between the two of them that night.

However he said that they did embark on a full sexual relationship within a few weeks of the boy's 16th birthday.

Taylor was giving evidence on the fourth day of his trial for carrying out sex attacks on one boy when he was underage and a second teenager with learning difficulties.

The court heard he was born in Lower Stratton in 1960 before moving to Brinkworth as a ten-year-old and going to Malmesbury Comprehensive.

After university in Cardiff he worked for GCHQ in Cheltenham for three and a half years before returning to Swindon and working as a signalman on the railway.

Taylor, who was working in IT for Nationwide when he was arrested, was convicted in 1988 and 1990 for indecently assaulting boys under the age of 16. Speaking from the witness box Taylor told the jury of ten men and two women that he had not had sexual contact of any kind with the disabled boy and only with his friend when he was 16.

He said that the lad with learning difficulties used to visit him and talk about sexual matters with him.

And on the day the boy who has learning difficulties and cerebral palsy claims he was indecently assaulted Taylor says the teenager had been asking him about sex. He said he then allowed the boy to have a shower before he returned home but nothing untoward took place.

Taylor also said that while he had allowed the other teenager to stay at his house as he was having troubles at home they only slept together when he turned 16, the age of consent.

Taylor, of Stubsmead, Eldene, denies four counts of sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice and three of indecent assault on a second boy when he was under 16.

The case continues.