A COWDENBEATH man accused of groping and raping two under-age girls has claimed that he was abused himself as a child.

A jury heard that David Ferguson told a psychology expert he had been abandoned by his mum, neglected by his father and raped as a 14-year-old by a man he trusted.

He also claimed to suffer from a series of medical problems which meant he could not become sexually aroused.

The claims came on the third day of 60-year-old Ferguson’s trial at the High Court in Livingston, West Lothian.

He was dramatically cleared yesterday of raping a 14-year-old girl in his home in Blamey Crescent, Cowdenbeath, between January 2008 and January 2009 after the Crown withdrew the charge.

Ferguson still denies the historic rape of the same girl on her 15th birthday and the rape another schoolgirl when she was aged between seven and 12.

He further denies indecently assaulting both girls and using lewd, indecent and libindinous behaviour towards the second youngster up to 20 years ago when she was between four and 11.

Professor Matthias Schwannauer, 44, head of clinical psychology at the University of Edinburgh, gave evidence that it was common for child victims of sexual abuse not to disclose what had happened until years afterwards.

He said the main reasons were threats made by the perpetrator; fear that something bad would happen; lack of understanding that what happened to them was abuse, and the fact that the perpetrator was a close friend or a member of their family.

He said it was well documented that feelings of “confusion, shame and humiliation” about the abuse itself also contributed to late disclosure and reporting of physical or sexual abuse years after it had happened.

Sexual and relationship psychotherapist Sue Maxwell, (67) said Ferguson told her he had suffered mental and sexual abuse as a child during two interview sessions with her.

She told the jury, “This affected his ability to make intimate adult relationships, especially sexual relationships.” She agreed with defence counsel Gordon Martin that anxiety related to the deep-rooted concerns could be linked to Ferguson’s claim that he suffered from erectile disfunction.

Urology consultant Ammar Alhasso (50), of the Spire Murrayfield hospital in Edinburgh, told the jury that Ferguson suffered from a number of medical conditions which could explain his claimed inability to become sexually aroused.

But under cross-examination by advocate depute Richard Goddard, Mr.Alhasso admitted that all the information about the Ferguson’s “long-standing history of erectile disfunction” had came from the accused himself.

Asked if Ferguson had ever complained about the problem during the many visits to his GP set out in 260 pages of medical records, Mr. Alhasso answered: “There’s no mention of that in the records provided.” The trial, before Lord Kinclaven, continues.