TWO middle-aged men, one from Swindon and the other from Scotland, have gone on trial today accused of 'very grave' rape and other sex offences against two young girls over a ten-year period in Cirencester.

A jury was sworn in at Gloucester Crown Court to try Sean Denovan, 48, of Goulding Close, Swindon, and Douglas Turner, 52, of Slaughter Tree Avenue, Saltcoats, Ayrshire.

But the details of the case will not be given to the jurors by prosecutor David Scutt till tomorrow because the lawyers in the case wanted time to finalise preparations to ensure it goes smoothly and quickly.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC sent the jury away till tomorrow morning.

Turner denied indecently assaulting a girl under 14 on three occasion between April 2002 and April 2004, assaulting her three times between May 2004 and April 2009, and raping her twice between April 2003 and April 2004.

Denovan denies four charges of raping the same girl between April 2003 and April 2005.

Both men deny two further charges of conspiring together to rape the girl between April 2003 and April 2008.

The defendants also face two charges each relating to a different girl, also said to be under 14 at the time.

Turner denies indecently assaulting her between Feb 1999 and Feb 2001 while Denovan denies indecently assaulting her between Feb 2001 and Feb 2002.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC told the jury the charges were 'very grave allegations indeed' and the trial will probably finish early next week.

Before the jury was sent home pending tomorrow's hearing the prosecutor told them the offences occurred at an address in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and he read out the names of 14 prosecution witnesses to check that none of the jurors knew anyone who will be giving evidence in the trial.