A MAN accused of sexually abusing a child when he was a 16-year-old has told of his shock at his arrest.

Marc Livall - now a 35-year-old father-of-two - was giving evidence on the second day of his trial at Teesside Crown Court.

He told the jury the allegations were untrue and may have been made up because the alleged victim was jealous of his success in later life.

Mr Livall, who works in IT, was arrested last March after the girl walked into a police station and made the claims of abuse.

He faces eight counts of indecent assault between 1988 and 1989.

Today, when asked about his arrest, he told the jury: "It was a total and utter shock."

His voice breaking with emotion, he said he thought the police had arrived at his door to tell him his wife and two boys had been involved in an accident.

Mr Livall, of High Road, Stanley, Crook, County Durham, is alleged to have indecently assaulted the girl when she was aged about six.

The jury has been told that Mr Livall attacked her on a number of occasions in which he asked her to strip before getting her to perform sex acts.

Mr Livall denied suggestions from prosecutor Dan Cordey that he hoped the girl would forget about the alleged assaults as she grew older or that he found her pretty.

The jury of 11 women and one man was expected to be sent out this afternoon to consider its verdicts.

The trial continues.