Holyoake in the dockTHE jury in the Geoffrey Holyoake trial have retired to consider their verdict, just days after the man accused of drugging and sexually assaulting three Trowbridge women took the stand.

Hollyoake told Bristol Crown Court this week he would never hurt anybody and was a 'gentle and placid person'.

The 53-year-old, of Vallis Road Frome, allegedly met the women in pubs around Trowbridge, including The Malthouse Pub, formerly known as Zak's.

The women allege he drugged them, locked them in his fortress-like home and assaulted them.

In his evidence this week he revealed he had a low sex drive, denied despising women and said the victims conspired together like a "witches coven".

The jury retired on Wednesday afternoon to consider their verdict and were still deliberating yesterday.

Holyoake told Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday: "I would never hurt or scare anyone because I am a gentle person, not a violent person."

"There is no way I would do anything like that to anybody."

In reference to one woman's accusations he said: "I think she is speaking about her past life with her junkie boyfriend. She has never been attacked by me or any of my friends."

He said all the women had agreed to have sexual relations but that there would be no full sex.

The court heard earlier in the trial that Holyoake's home next to a cemetery was like a fortress, and that he locked the women in there for hours at a time.

Holyoake said the tight security at his home, which included bars across the doors and windows, was to prevent break-ins.

He said: "My house has been broken into a number of times and that is why I am so security-conscious."

Holyoake said two of the alleged victims met another woman in Zak's to talk about him.

"They all got together to talk about me, it was like a witches coven."

He also told the court he was not interested in having sex but wanted companionship from the women he met.

"I don't have a very strong sex drive whatsoever. For the last five years I have been dead down below."

Much of Holyoake's evidence hinged on extensive diaries which he kept during the time the alleged offences took place.

However, Ian Dixey, prosecuting, questioned the credibility of the evidence.

"This diary I suggest isn't a contemporaneous, accurate record of what you were doing," Mr Dixie said.

"It was altered by you to state what you wanted it to say. You have said on a number of occasions that you respect them and treat them properly.

"Can I suggest that your diaries in fact reveal that you despise women.

"I suggest that you can only have a proper relationship with them if you drug them or knock them out.

"I suggest that you get pleasure out of frightening them."

Holyoake denies three counts of false imprisonment, three counts of administering a noxious substance, five counts of indecent assault, one count of rape and one count of attempted rape against three different women.

He also denies two counts of possession with intent to supply cannabis and amphetamines.

The case continues.