THE daughters of a man accused of raping a schoolboy cried and blew kisses to their “caring” father as they defended him in court.

Nicholas Gully, a sex therapist of Eley Crescent, Rottingdean, denies two counts of sexual assault and one of rape of a 14-year-old boy at King Alfred Leisure Centre

Yesterday Beverley Cherrill, who is defending Gully, called on his two daughters as witnesses at Hove Crown Court.

His eldest daughter, Freya, 22, said: “My dad is very positive, happy, outgoing and active.

“He was very supportive all through my childhood and caring.”

She lived with Gully until she was 16, then moved in with her mother after her parents divorced.

She continued: “My parents wanted our house to be a social place, and I regularly had sleepovers with both boys and girls.”

She told the court about one incident when a male friend of hers, who she said was gay, walked from the bathroom to her room just in his underwear.

She said her parents felt highly uncomfortable with the incident, particularly her father, but insisted he never had any disagreements or bad relationships with any of her friends, girl or boy.

The woman also told jurors Gully, 47, is an “admired guy” and has “helped a lot of people through hard times”.

She started crying while giving evidence, then blew kisses and told Gully she loves him as she left the courtroom.

The prosecution said the assault took place on January 29 in a toilet cubicle at the centre.

Gully gave evidence on Wednesday telling the jury the boy consented. He said he initially thought he was 16 or 17, and said he usually goes for men aged 18 to 25.

It was also revealed that he once wrote a play about “cottaging” - the act of having sex with a stranger in a public toilet.

His younger daughter, Rowan, 20, was second on the stand. She said she grew up heavily into her father’s beliefs of Buddhism and vegetarianism - something the entire family followed strongly.

She said: “My dad was extremely caring, very supportive, loving and generous. He was an amazing dad and I couldn’t have asked for any more.”

She said her and Gully had “some really good days” when she was young, going to Buddhism events with him and avidly supporting vegetarianism and animals rights.

Amy Packham, who is prosecuting, asked the daughter if her father ever had “difficulties” with her friends growing up. She insisted there had not.

As she left court she told Gully she loves him and making a praying gesture to him before breaking into a flood of tears.

Ms Cherrill read a statement to jurors from Gully’s mother. It said: “Since learning the news, I have been in shock and despair.

“As a child, Nick was thoughtful and caring. He is a loving father and son.”

The trial continues.