A FORMER Hampshire village policeman has categorically denied sexually abusing two boys.

Gordon Hunter, 64, is accused of abusing the boys in separate areas of the county in the late 1980s and mid-1990s.

On the third day of his trial at Winchester Crown Court Hunter said he found the allegations “extremely upsetting”.

Stephen Parish, defence barrister, asked Hunter if he was aware when the first allegation was made against him.

Hunter, who lives in Ashurst, said: “Yes about five or six years ago. My wife came home one day and said ‘he is making an allegation about you’. I was deeply upset. I never discussed it with him until he came around a few days later for Sunday lunch.

“He said ‘I’m sorry my head is in a bad place’. I said if you want let’s go to the police and get this matter sorted as I don’t want this hanging over me for the rest of my life. He refused and said it’s all in his head. I never heard anything again until I was arrested.”

The court heard that another boy made an allegation after seeing Hunter’s retirement from Hampshire police announced on a social networking site last year.

Hunter denied kissing one of the boys in his police car but admitted he once gave two boys, including one of the alleged victims, a lift home in his police car as it was “thundering down with rain.”

Under cross-examination by prosecution barrister Andy Houston, Hunter denied all 14 charges, including gross indecency with a child, attempted buggery and indecent assault.

Mr Houston claimed that Hunter had put his wedding ring on one of the boys as a sign of his feelings towards him.

Hunter said: “No sir I did not. I can’t even get my wedding ring off. It’s only the last few months I have been able to move it after losing some weight.”

It was while working as a village policeman that Hunter is alleged to have abused the first boy, inviting him to his home to take part in a variety of sex acts. But Hunter told the court he was never at home alone with the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Most of the offences relate to Hunter’s time as the village officer for Whitchurch in the north of the county between 1983 and 1992. The court heard that Hunter then moved to Ashurst in 1992 and soon after allegedly began to target the second boy between 1995 and 1998.

Hunter, of Dene Way in Ashurst, denies all charges.

Proceeding