THE jury is set to retire in the trial of a man accused of the repeated sexual abuse of two children.

Judge Wendy Joseph QC has been summing up in the case of Neil Bennett, 51, of Forest Edge, Buckhurst Hill, who is accused of multiple child sex offences including rape.

She told the jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court of the difficult task ahead of them which revolves around the testimony of two complainants, now in their 20s, who say they were abused by Mr Bennett in the 1990s.

Judge Joseph said: “You must be sure that they haven't put their heads together to lie. If you think that their evidence has relied on collusion of course you will give that evidence no credence.

"Both say there was very little contact. Mr Owen-Jones [the defence barrister] says there was contact and there was opportunity to do it.”

She said of Mr Bennett: “You know a number of things about him. Two of them are this: He's had adulterous affairs and he's not been in trouble with the law.

“[Mrs Bennett] told us [of the affairs], and that they had had arguments. It is obvious it was true, and she confronted him, and said it had to stop. You must make of that what you will, but I must emphasise you mustn't jump to the conclusion because he's had affairs with women, or he's deceived his wife, he's abused children.

“The other side of the coin is, he may be 51 years old and had adulterous affairs, but he's also had no criminal convictions. You should take it into account in his favour.”

The female complainant in the trial had originally made her allegations in 2000 while the male accuser came to the police in 2006.

Judge Joseph said: “You are entitled to ask yourself why matters didn't come to light sooner.”

Summing up the jury's task ahead she added:”You are going to be arguing what in any view are highly emotional issues.

"Abuse of very young children who, if their account is true, have been through the saddest of young, young lives. I urge you to try and keep cool and dispassionate heads.”

Mr Bennett faces four charges of indecent assault, two of indecency with a child, two of rape against a female complainant, and two charges of indecent assault against a male complainant. He denies all the charges.