A MAN sexually assaulted two boys when their mother believed he was reading to them, a court heard.

Aaron Smart, 43, of Golden Noble Hill, Colchester, is accused of sexually abusing two boys under the age of 16 between 1997 and 2000.

Smart was arrested by police officers after the boys told what had happened.

Kathryn Hirst, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday the mother needed help looking after her children.

She entrusted Smart to help out but he took advantage of this position to touch the youngsters sexually while upstairs under the pretext of reading a story, the court heard.

Ms Hirst told the jury the defendant had wanted to make himself “indispensable” so at the same time he could abuse the children, “safe in the knowledge it was unlikely if they complained they would be believed”.

Read more: First Essex to make changes to bus services in Colchester

The court heard how one of the alleged victims recalled Smart pulling his pants down under the duvet while remaining watchful no-one was coming up the stairs to catch him in the act.

Smart also allegedly propositioned the boy by asking him to touch his genitals, however, the request was declined.

When asked by police how many times Smart had allegedly touched him, the other boy answered “a hell of a lot”.

The court heard the impact had been significant on the victims and eventually they told their mother what happened and she then banished Smart.

Smart denies two counts of indecent assault on a child, two counts of gross indecency to a child, and two counts of inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency.

  • The trial continues