'Compensation' behind Barry rape claims, court told

Avril and Peter Griffiths face 10 and 14 charges respectively

A man accused with his wife of a series of rapes and sexual offences against children said a "compensation culture" could have been behind the claims.

Peter Griffiths, 65, and Avril Griffiths, 61, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, have been likened to "the Fred and Rose West" of their estate.

On Tuesday, a jury at Cardiff Crown Court heard Mr Griffiths told police the accusations had been "fabricated".

The couple deny all the charges, which date back to the 1980s and 1990s.

The court was read a transcript of police interviews conducted in 2015 and 2016 at Cardiff Bay police station in which Peter Griffiths admitted to having sex with one of the complainants, but said she was older than 16.

In the interview, Peter Griffiths said there was "tomfoolery" with one of the complainants and that "one thing led to another".

However, he said the allegation that he had sexually abused the complainant when she was seven or eight was "disgusting".

It is alleged the couple had sex parties on a boat, attended by police officers.

One complainant said she was raped while a teenager on a boat by "at least two men" - one of whom she said was Mr Griffiths.

Peter and Avril Griffiths are on trial at Cardiff Crown Court

Mr Griffiths admitted taking topless photographs of one of the complainants, but said she was 16 or 17 at the time.

He told police that she was a "nice girl", a "very attractive girl" and said the photographs were her idea.

The court was read a transcript of a police interview with Mrs Griffiths where the allegation that she held down a complainant while Peter Griffiths raped her was put to her.

She said: "Everything is a pack of lies, I'm sorry".

Mrs Griffiths denies five counts of rape, three counts of taking an indecent photograph of a child and two counts of indecent assault.

Mr Griffiths denies eight counts of rape, three counts of taking an indecent photograph of a child and three counts of indecent assault.

The trial continues.