A MAN has denied sexually assaulting a dog walker and exposing himself to four others, including children, on a secluded footpath.

Taylor Carroll, 20, of Rye Hills, Halstead, denied three counts of exposure and one of sexual assault when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday.

His alleged victims, two retired women and three children who cannot be identified because they are victims of alleged sexual offences, were all walking in the Parsonage Street and Tidings Hill area on July 1 last year when Carroll allegedly exposed himself to them.

One retired dog walker, who Carroll is accused of sexually assaulting, gave evidence in court while the defendant shook his head in the dock.

She said: “I was walking on my own on a lane. It’s a rural path at the top of Tidings Hill.

“I was walking into a field when I saw a man standing there and he had a bit of a grin on his face. I was a bit worried.

“I turned left because there were houses there which made me feel safer. I had to pass him and he was about four feet away.

“I had a sense that someone was behind me, I turned around and it was him.

“I asked if he would like to go in front of me, I felt safer some how so I could see what was going on.

“I was frightened and I called out for help about three times but obviously no one heard me.

“He pulled his jeans down and showed off his private parts.

“I was about four feet feet away from him and that was when he

grabbed me in the chest.

“He said ‘I want to touch your boob’.”

Two sisters were walking through from a park near Trinity Street with their male friend, all aged under 13, when they say Carroll exposed himself to

them.

The youngest sister’s initial police interview from July was played to the court.

In it she said: “We were walking on this hill and this man just came out of nowhere and came up on the left side.

“He was showing us his private parts.”

The eldest sister, who gave evidence via video link, said:“When we went home my mum was looking through photos on Facebook for him.

“She clicked on a photograph and said she thought she had seen him before and was it him I was frightened and I called out for help about three times but obviously no one heard me and I said it was him.

“I know that my mum doesn’t like him.”

A second retired dog walker, who Carroll is alleged to have exposed himself to, gave evidence and described how she felt “uncomfortable”.

She was walking her two dogs at around 3.30pm as Carroll was walking towards her from the direction of Parsonage Street.

She said: “He had a strange look about him.

“He looked odd, in the sense he wasn’t walking in a normal manner.

“I thought he was drunk or on drugs. He made me feel uncomfortable.

“I stopped to pick up some dog mess and I could feel someone watching me.

“He was exposing himself to me. I didn’t say anything and he turned around.

“I was somewhat uncomfortable but my initial thoughts were there were a lot of school children that use these footpaths.”

Carroll was due to give evidence yesterday.

The trial continues.