AN alleged serial rapist accused of carrying out repeated physical and sexual assaults on nine women has told a jury that all the witnesses against him were telling lies.

Michael Gray, who is also known as Michael Banks, was giving evidence in his own defence in his trial at the High Court in Livingston on Friday.

Gray, 50, of Adamson Road, Lochgelly, denies nine rapes and six indecent assaults against five different females.

He is also accused of three assaults to danger of life and two common assaults.

The former fish farm worker denies committing the offences at addresses across Fife between January 1987 and January 2016.

Giving evidence, the father of two, accepted that he had a long term drink problem and classed himself as an alcoholic.

He flatly denied hitting any of the women he had been involved with.

He claimed a former girlfriend, who gave evidence, that she got a deep cut on her hand defending herself against him attacking her with a knife was not telling the truth.

Gray said she had tickled him in the kitchen while he was peeling carrots and grabbed the blade of the knife by mistake when he turned round.

He also refuted claims by another ex partner that he had jabbed her in the face with a glass ashtray and strangled her with the cord off a bathrobe.

And he said a third woman had made up her story about him stubbing out a lit cigarette on her stomach.

Gray also denied the allegations of rape and indecent assault saying all sexual activity had been consensual.

He rejected any suggestion that he had “touched up” three of his alleged victims while they slept.

And he claimed the daughter of one of his ex girlfriends had 'come on’ to him before they went on to have consensual sex ‘four or five times’.

He said the charge alleging that he raped her in April 2012 was without foundation and claimed she had initiated sex with him.

Advocate depute Kath Harper highlighted a series of “lies” and inconsistencies in Gray’s testimony.

She said: “In the knife incident (the woman) got a laceration across her palm which needed 11 stitches. She said you caused that by trying to hit her on the face with the knife and her protecting herself. “ Gray answered: “Well I’m sorry to tell you you’re wrong.”

The Advocate Depute asked: “Is it your position that this woman grabbed the blade of the knife?”

He replied: “When I turned round she grabbed the knife and the blood was in the soup. We were mucking about, We were carrying on.”

"We have three women who all woke up to find you sexually assaulting them. Are they all lying?” He replied: “Yeah. They’re telling lies.”

Ms Harper went on: “According to your evidence you never mistreated any of them: ‘All the time I had great times with them, I had a laugh, joked, a carry on.’”

He answered: “I’ve had arguments but I’ve never lashed out. I’ve walked out got in the car and drove off.”

He denied forcing any of the woman to do anything they didn’t want.

Ms Harper pointed out: “And yet nine women have come to this Court and said that you did dreadful things to them.” He said: “Oh right, yeah.”

She asked: “If you treated them so well and they had nothing to complain about, isn’t it astonishing that all of these women all these years ago – particularly one you separated from 20 years ago – would come and make up so many lies about you?”

Gray said he didn’t know, adding: “If I’d done that why was this not dealt with a long time ago. Why’s it come up now?”

The trial before Lord Mulholland, continues.