The first complainant in a historic sexual abuse trial centred on allegations said to have taken place in Oldham in the early 1980s has denied meeting another person in the case to agree evidence.

Damien Riley is on trial accused of 14 charges between 1981 and 1987.

He faces 14 charges against four victims including one of gross indecency and 13 of indecent assault.

Earlier this week jury at the Lowry Theatre, sitting as a Nightingale Court during the pandemic, heard from the first complainant by watching a video interview he gave to the police when he came forward in 2018.

He said that Riley first struck in 1981 by taking him to his bedroom and performing a sexual activity on him.

He described two other similar specific incidents but said this happened intermittently and stopped after another man walked in on one occasion.

And yesterday the man was cross-examined in court by defence counsel Simon Blakebrough.

The man confirmed he knew other complaints as childhood friends but had until recently thought he was the only person the abuse had happened to.

He was asked if he had been in regular contact with the second complainant between July and September 2018.

He said: “I wouldn’t say it was regular.

“I wanted to advise him about going to the police.

“I was trying to get him to do things the legal way to get to this point here.”

He was then pressed on a face to face meeting and asked if the case was discussed.

The man said: “We cried, two grown men.

“It was a really healing experience for him.”

Mr Blakebrough then asked: “Did you at any point tell him what to say?”

The man replied: “No I believe in transparency.

“I have not done anything to harm this trial.”

Mr Blakebrough also pointed out to the man that Riley, 55, denied any sexual contact with him.

The man replied: “Of course he does.”

When it was later suggested none of this happened the man replied to the defence counsel: "You are a liar sir."

He was also asked about a Michael Jackson concert he had attended with Riley at Aintree in 1988, and asked why he went with him if these allegations took place.

He said: "He was my master, he controlled me, what he said you would do."

Riley, of Ewood in Bardsley, Oldham, denies all the allegations.

The trial, before Judge Angela Nield, continues.