Man accused of raping and sexually assaulting girl tells Waterford court 'it is all made up'

The Central Criminal Court in Waterford heard a transcript of interviews, in one of which the defendant told a garda that his accuser was 'a very troubled young girl'

A former secondary school teacher of the complainant told the court that the complainant told her about 'stuff of a sexual nature going on' in the early 2000s. File picture

The man accused of multiple rapes and sexual assaults of a woman when she was a child told gardaí that “it is all made up” and that the complainant was “a very troubled young girl”.

The defendant, who is in his 50s, pleaded not guilty when the trial opened on Monday at the Central Criminal Court in Waterford. He is accused of 53 sexual offences — including more than 20 counts of rape.