Former solicitor denies sexually abusing clients

Alan Harris is accused of sexually abusing clients in the cells at Charles Cross Police Station (pictured) and Plymouth Magistrates' Court

A former criminal defence solicitor has denied he sexually abused and raped clients.

Alan Harris, of Thorn Park, Plymouth, Devon, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of 18 charges of indecent assault, eight charges of sexual assault, three charges of rape and one of another serious sexual offence.

The 72-year-old, who has denied all 30 charges, is accused of carrying out the offences in cells at Charles Cross Police Station in Plymouth and at Plymouth Magistrates' Court between 1989 and 2015.

When asked in court about the individual charges and whether he carried out the offences, Mr Harris said he had not. The trial continues.

The jury heard Mr Harris was born and bred in Plymouth and worked in the city throughout his career, which ended in 2016.

He said the law firm he managed was part of the local duty solicitor scheme, which would require a legal professional to speak to an arrested or charged person at a police station or court whenever needed.

When defence barrister Christine Agnew KC asked several times if Mr Harris had carried out the offences mentioned, the defendant replied: "Absolutely not."

When asked at one point if he had sex with a client against their will, Mr Harris said: "If it didn't sound disrespectful, I would say it's preposterous."

Mr Harris was also asked at the hearing about claims he had bought clients large pouches of tobacco, let them use his phone and taken them to his home address, all of which he denied.

He told the court he would offer clients a lift "once in a blue moon" and on "four or five occasions" during his career had given someone between £2-3 to help them get home and stop them from "sleeping in a gutter".

The court was told the defendant's current address was about a five-minute drive from Charles Cross Police Station and Plymouth Magistrates' Court during quiet traffic periods.

When Ms Agnew asked Mr Harris if he had moved to his current address due to its closeness to the sites, he said this was not a factor.