A TRIAL has started for a man accused of sexually abusing a five-year-old boy when he too was a child.

Ashley Hookway, 33, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with eight counts of child sexual abuse which is alleged to have occurred in the early 2000s.

It is alleged that Hookway sexually abused a boy, who was at his youngest five years of age, when Hookway himself was aged between 11 and 14.

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The boy, who is now an adult, cannot be named for legal reasons. He first reported the allegations to police in late 2020.

Hookway, of Shaw Court, Aylesbury, has denied the offences and is now on trial which is expected to last four to five days.

During the opening of the trial on Monday (July 29), it was heard that the majority of the alleged offences took place when the defendant was living at an address in Witney.

The prosecuting barrister said: “The allegations first came about when [the complainant] first told his mother when he was seven or eight.

(Image: Ashlee Hookway/Facebook)

“They have been at the leisure centre and swimming and he relayed it to her but nothing was said to police at that stage.

“In late 2020, he told the police and was interviewed in a different part of the world on behalf of Thames Valley.

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“He told the police about the allegations. He said he was sexually assaulted from the age of five and it would occur in the Easter and Summer holidays.

“He would grope him and grabbed his backside and put his hand in his trousers. Additionally, he would make him put his hand down his trousers.

“[Hookway] said it was fine but not to tell anyone. He said it went on for several years and it only ended when he told his mum.”

In one allegation described by the prosecution, it is alleged Hookway had taken his shirt off and had encouraged the complainant to do the same.

A second allegation included Hookway alleging encouraging the defendant to touch his own genitals before allegedly touching Hookway’s as well.

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Following the complainant reporting the allegations to the police, Hookway took part in a voluntary police interview in March 2021 in Aylesbury.

He provided a prepared statement in which he denied all the allegations.

He then answered ‘no comment’ to the rest of the questions asked of him.

The trial continues this week.

It is unknown if Hookway will be taking the stand to give evidence later this week.

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