A 25-YEAR-OLD Dursley man accused of carrying out sex offences on a five-year-old boy, including raping him, denied the charges against him before a jury today.

Thomas Griffiths, giving evidence at his trial at Gloucester Crown Court, said he had had nothing to do with the boy sexually.

Prosecutor Lynne Matthews put it to him that he had raped the boy.

"No, I didn't do nothing," said Mr Griffiths.

Another witness - his mum, Susan Griffiths - was asked to describe her son's personality by defence barrister Virginia Cornwall.

"He's quite quiet," she said, adding that he tended to keep "himself to himself".

"He's caring and sensitive," she said.

Mr Griffiths is alleged have raped the boy and to have sexually assaulted him twice, as well as asking him to touch him intimately.

He denies all four counts.

The jury of nine men and three women has already heard that the boy had made the complaint against Griffiths on August 28 last year.

On August 30 last year, the jury heard, Griffiths was arrested and vehemently denied the allegations.

Griffiths has denied two counts of sexually assaulting a child under 13 between July 6 and August 28, 2007.

He also denied a charge of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity in a non-penetrative nature between the same dates.

He also pleaded not guilty to a fourth charge that he raped a child under 13 between July 6 and August 28, 2007.

The trial continues on Monday.