CHILDREN have given evidence in the trial of a suspected paedophile.

Anthony Plummer is charged with four counts of sexual assault against children under the age of 13.

It is alleged he touched two youngsters inappropriately and frequently asked them to kiss him.

The 81-year-old, of Broad Rig Avenue, Hove, denies all charges.

During the trial at Brighton Crown Court, pictured, on Tuesday, children involved in the case gave evidence through a live video link.

The court also heard pre-recorded evidence of the children being interviewed by police.

In a pre-recorded video one of the children, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said Plummer had started touching her inappropriately two years before she spoke to police but later said she thought it had started earlier.

Kate Blumgart, prosecuting, asked the child again through a live video link when it had started, and the child told the court she thought it was approximately four years before the police interview.

She said: “He was touching me in places I didn’t like.

“It made me feel sad.

“When I was trying to get it out of my mind I could not get it out of my mind.”

Denis Barry, defending, asked the child whether she thought the touching was on purpose or an accident and she said she thought it was deliberate.

She said Plummer had touched her “more than once” and “it had hurt”.

One of the children also alleged Plummer had made a deal with her not to tell her parents about the touching, in exchange for sweets.

She said: “He kept saying, ‘remember our deal’.

“He said if I didn’t tell my mum or dad he would give me sweets every time.

“I wanted to tell him to stop but thought it might hurt him.

“But it hurt me.”

Yesterday the court heard from other witnesses in the case.

One witness said a child had reported that Plummer “asked her to kiss him and sit next to him”.

He said: “I was shocked.

“She told me there had been a number of occasions where Anthony had dug his elbow into her groin.

“It happened ‘often’, is the term that she used.”

The court also heard yesterday Plummer was previously convicted of five counts of indecent assault in 2001 and had served time in prison.

Indecent assault was an offence under a previous Sexual Offences Act, but would be classed as a sexual assault under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Plummer is due to give evidence today.

The trial continues.