FORMER soldier and marathon runner Mike Buss, who is accused of stealing from Help For Heroes, told a jury 'There was never anything dishonest about what I did.'

The 41-year-old also told Swindon Crown Court how he was treated in a mental health unit after taking an overdose and trying to slash his wrists following his arrest.

The ex-Royal Green Jacket also said people on social media had been comparing him to paedophile celebrity Rolf Harris, when he had done nothing wrong.

He said many people had found him guilty of cheating the charity, which he said is close to his heart, before he was even charged with anything.

Buss, of Bara Close, Highworth, was giving evidence at his trial where he is accused of theft, a charge he denies.

When Ronan McCann, defending, asked him what he thought if someone said his fundraising had any dishonesty he replied: "I just feel totally insulted.

"It is not just any old charity, they are charities that are close to my heart. I was a soldier, I still consider myself a soldier.

"I have been a veteran in need of support over the years whilst I was homeless having to deal with obviously the issues I am having to deal with now.

"I have had support through the whole of this through various different forces' charities.

"I am disgusted with the way people have found me guilty before I was even charged. There is online abuse, people making bogus profiles and making up Mike Buss web pages and making up crap.

"There was never anything dishonest about what I did. It has just been abuse after abuse. I have had social media comparing me to Rolf Harris."

He said he found out he was going to be arrested in May 2014 through the media and online messages after police raided his gym.

He told the jury: "They were asking me of things they hadn't a clue about, they were guessing.

"They were telling me there was a frenzy outside, that the press had already put on their website that morning. It was in the papers by the time I got out.

"They were stating I should get out of Wiltshire. Basically they were intimidating me."