THE case of a man who is standing trial for 23 counts of sexual abuse against children has been described in court as 'a modern-day Bridgwater horror story'.

Andrew Margetts, 31, of Friarn Avenue, Bridgwater is accused of starting the attacks on a toddler when he was as young as seven and continuing offending against another younger girl and boy over a ten to 15 year period.

He is on trial accused of 23 charges, including rape, indecent assault, indecency with a child, false imprisonment and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. He denies all the charges.

Today (Friday, January 13) the jury heard the closing statements from Sean Brunton for the prosecution and Emma Martin for the defence.

"It has taken great courage for these three witnesses to come and give evidence here in court in front of the defendant," Mr Brunton said.

"The jury has heard Margetts comes from a chaotic and dysfunctional family background with his mother suffering from mental illness.

"He was bullied at school and became increasingly isolated, becoming overweight and more and more confined to his squalid bedroom where there was just a mattress for a bed, with rotting food and bottles of urine stacked along the walls," Mr Brunton said.

"It was a twilight, grotesque half-life, a modern day Bridgwater horror story quite frankly.

"It is something you think you would only read about in the Daily Mail or at the beginning of a crime television programme.

"But it was bleak, tragic and all too real. Sadly it was real for the three victims as well."

Mr Brunton said Margetts persistently refuted the claims against him but had been at a loss to explain Facebook messages to the alleged victims almost a decade after the attacks were said to have taken place.

Defending, Emma Martin emphasised the jury had to strive to uphold the burden of proof in court.

"It is not for him to prove that these are false allegations, it up to the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that these offences took place."

Mrs Martin said there were a number of details and inconsistencies in the case which the jury should examine carefully before arriving at their decision.

Judge David Ticehurst at Taunton Crown Court adjourned the case until Monday at 10am.