A ‘MANIPULATIVE’ pensioner allegedly sexually abused a boy and a girl in the bathroom of a house, a jury was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard David Forrest, of Rawsthorne Avenue, Edenfield, allegedly abused the youngsters during incidents that are said to have happened in the late eighties and early nineties.

The alleged victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were both under the age of 10 when the abuse took place, the jury was told .

All the offences are alleged to have happened at a house in the Rossendale Valley.

Prosecuting, Frances McEntee, said during one incident the boy, who is now and adult, was allegedly taken into the bathroom by the 74-year-old after vomiting after eating a Pot Noodle he didn’t like.

It is while in the bathroom that the abuse is alleged to have taken place, the court heard.

Mr McEntee said: “This is a case of sexual abuse of children. It is a case of breech of trust.”

The prosecutor told the jury of seven men and five women that it is the prosecution’s case that Forrest ‘manipulated situations’ and took the children to the bathroom when there was no real need to do so.

The prosecution alleged he took the children to the bathroom with the intention of performing acts of sexual abuse and gross indecency upon them.

It is alleged Forrest undressed in front of the children, before getting them to strip off.

The court heard he was then said to have forced them to perform sexual acts upon him before sexually abusing them.

When asked by the police for their recollections of the alleged abuse the female complainant said she was a child and just did what she was told by an adult.

The court was told the male complainant said he ‘felt like he had no choice’ when he was asked the same question by investigating officers.

In relation to the female complainant Forrest denies one count of indecency with a child and two counts of indecent assault.

With regards to the male complainant Forrest pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecency with a child and two counts of indecent assault on a male person.

(Proceeding).