A man accused of 10 offences of rape has appeared on the witness stand for the first time to give evidence in his defence at Douglas Courthouse.

William Henry Kelly, who is 46, is also accused of two offences of assault causing actual bodily harm and four of indecent assault.

The charges relate to three different women over a period between 2013 and 2016.

Defending Kelly, Laurence Vaughan Williams presented each of the charges to him in turn and in each instance he emphatically denied the allegation.

’It simply didn’t happen,’ he told the jury of six men and one woman.

’It’s not true and I stand by every word of the account I gave to police at interview.

’I was interviewed by police and gave full and detailed answers and I stand by the answers I gave,’ he said.

During the course of his examination in chief Mr Vaughan-Williams confirmed Kelly had denied all allegations from the outset and in court he repeated at least 16 times that the allegations were not true.

In cross examination, director of prosecutions, Richard Butters, asked Kelly: ’So is that all you have to say for yourself? "Not true, not true, not true"? Have you nothing else to tell the jury, after two weeks (of trial)?

’This is your chance to give your evidence and all you have done is to say these women have lied.

’You said one of the women sent you a message saying you were scum, a liar and a cheat. Well that pretty much sums you up doesn’t it? So she was telling you the truth,’ Mr Butters said.

’I’m certainly a cheat,’ Kelly replied.

’You described yourself as "not a very nice guy". Surely that’s the understatement of the day. You are a despicable man,’ Mr Butters said.

’No,’ Kelly replied.

Mr Butters added: ’You have no respect for women. You abuse them physically and sexually and you don’t give a damn about their feelings.’

’That’s not correct,’ he said.

’Three women gave extremely detailed and graphic accounts of what they say you did to them. Do you agree that all three of them were distressed - significantly distressed - throughout their ordeal of giving evidence?’

Kelly replied: ’There were some tears and, I believe, some crocodile tears.’

’So you believe that the emotion was just put on for the benefit of these seven people: turned on for effect?’

’That’s correct.’

’Are we to take it that the graphic, detailed evidence of these women was an entire pack of lies?’

’Yes,’ he said, adding: ’Of course I have feelings about how I treated them, but I’ve not raped or indecently assaulted any one.’

Referring to one of the charges, Kelly told the court: ’The false allegation of rape was because I told her she was not going to move in with me.’

He claimed another charge was fabricated because the alleged victim believed he owed her money.

Mr Butters also referred to Kelly’s police interview in which he said: ’Not to my knowledge,’ when asked if he had ever given one of the victims a black eye. ’That’s a strange response: surely you would know if you had or if you had not, wouldn’t you?’ Mr Butters said.

The case continues.