A man accused of 14 charges of historic sexual abuse in Oldham in the late 1980s told police the allegations were “fabrications” and said he did not even know one of the complainants.

Damien Riley is on trial at the Lowry in Salford, acting as a crown court during the pandemic.

The 55-year-old is accused of 13 charge of indecent assault and one of gross indecency against four people who were young boys at the time.

And yesterday the court heard his interview given after the fourth victim had come forward with his allegation.

Riley is accused of a single charge of indecent assault on the man when he was aged between five and six.

He was asked if he knew the person in question.

He replied: “I have never heard that name before.”

Riley was then asked if he had ever been inside the garage of his home.

He said that if a child had come in at the time he would have known their name.

It was later put to him that the complainant had said Riley asked him to pull his pants down.

Riley replied describing it as a “total fabrication” and asking why the “kids” would do that at the request of somebody “they did not even know.”

He was asked if he had carried out the indecent assault and replied: “No.”

When asked about why more people had come forward he said: “I do know why people say these things.”

He went on to suggest those who came forward later wanted to “help their friends out” as their first complainant’s “allegations” were “not standing up.”

He was later asked to comment on all of the accusations from all four of his accusers.

He said: “None of them are true.

“I knew a couple of them.”

He explained that he knew the first and the third complainant, he did not know the fourth and said he might have known the second.

He went on to say of the allegations: “As far as I am concerned they are all total fabrications.”

Riley, of Ewood in Bardsley, Oldham, denies all the charges against him.

The trial, before judge Angela Nield, continues.