A MAN alleged to have sexually abused three boys during sleepovers when he was younger was accused of trying to 'dig himself out of a very deep hole' as he faced questions over the allegations in court. 

John Morrison, 29, is standing trial for historic child sex abuse charges. 

Proceedings began on August 9 at Bournemouth Crown Court with Morrison denying seven charges: four counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a boy, and three counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a boy.

The offences are alleged to have taken place on Portland between September 4, 2007 and April 2, 2010, with Morrison being aged 13 at the beginning and 15 at the end of the alleged offence range.

Yesterday, he gave evidence and was questioned by defence counsel Laura Deuxberry and prosecution barrister Mike Fairlee.

Morrison has been accused of carrying out sexual acts on the men when they were teenagers during sleepovers, including penetrating one of them while he slept. 

Morrison denied that any of the alleged incidents happened and accused the trio of having a 'false memory'.

The alleged ordeals are said to have taken place at different locations: in Morrison's bed, on a sofabed and on a bunk-bed at another person's house.

Morrison accepted that he had shared a bed with one of the men when they were children - and also admitted to sleeping on the top of a bunk-bed with another man below.

"Did you think that the three of them had simply been asleep and did not know what you had done?" Mr Fairlee said to Morrison.

"As they understood it you identified as straight, so isn't it a coincidence that [the men] are alleging that you did things described as homosexual?

"Your act now is to try and dig yourself out of a very deep hole."

Mr Fairlee asked Morrison, who told the jury that he has since become 'romantically attracted to men', why the alleged victims would be 'making up' the accusations. 

He replied: "I am not a mindreader. I could not possibly know what is going through somebody else's mind."

When asked why he shared a bed with one of the alleged victims, Morrison said: "I believe we just became more comfortable."

Morrison said one of the men performed a sex act in front of him in his room - something Mr Fairlee accused him of 'making up'. 

Morrison accepted he had spoken with one of the alleged victims on a dating app several years after the incidents, on which the man accused him of sexual assault.

"Why was your reaction to block him and not say 'what are you on about?'" Mr Fairlee asked. 

Defending, Ms Deuxberry questioned her client on his meetings with the alleged victims after the reported assaults happened.

Morrison said he saw some of them in social settings some years after the allegations and there was 'no change in our friendship'.

Morrison also said there was 'no way' he could have fitted on the same sofabed as another man due to its small size.

He told the jury the allegations have left him feeling 'emotionally overwhelmed'. 

The trial continues.