A FORMER Worcester teacher and school governor appeared in the witness box to deny rapes, telling a jury he would 'never' have forced himself on the alleged victim.

Wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and tie, Michael Leydon denied two rapes, alleged to have taken place in 2014, when he gave evidence at Worcester Crown Court yesterday. The 61-year-old, who used to teach at Nunnery Wood High School in Worcester between 1983 and 1989, said it was 'not true' that he had described the alleged victim as 'damaged goods' after he learned she had been abused as a child. He spoke of the impact of a police investigation into his son, Christopher Leydon, convicted of raping a 10-year-old boy. Michael Leydon, now of Westleigh Gardens, Worthing was told what his son had done by the child's parents in 2006 during 'a very difficult conversation'. He said: "I was shocked. It's not a position I would wish on any parent."

However, he said he had supported his son as a parent and added 'I still do'. The father-of-three denied that he had ever said to the complainant 'you're gagging for it', telling a jury he had never been violent, physically or verbally, towards her.

In the morning prosecutor James Dunstan read out a transcript of text messages the defendant sent to the complainant. One read: "You said last night that I should have stopped on the night I took advantage of you against your will - believe me I wish I had.

"If I had known what I was doing I would have. I cannot change what happened or how you must have felt but I will do anything to try to make amends."

In one message he also described his behaviour towards her as 'totally disgusting' and wrote: "I hate myself for it."

In another he wrote: "I did something disgusting as a result of drink, tablets and stress."

He also wrote: "What I did to you was my fault, albeit I did it on a cocktail of alcohol, sexual frustration and depression. As you know I can't remember any of it. My memory is starting to go a little - either that or I could be selectively blocking out the bad bits."

In police interview he said the complainant had taken her clothes off and climbed on top of him. He said the text messages he sent to her were his way of trying to pacify her and added: "It was a silly thing to do."

He told officers: "I did not rape her." The trial continues.