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| Artist Graham Ovenden sexually abused young girls, court told | Artist Graham Ovenden sexually abused young girls, court told |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The acclaimed artist Graham Ovenden, who specialises in images of children, is a paedophile who sexually abused young girls, a jury has been told. | The acclaimed artist Graham Ovenden, who specialises in images of children, is a paedophile who sexually abused young girls, a jury has been told. |
| When he was arrested, Ovenden, whose work has been hung by the Tate, told police he was a "distinguished" artist who had created some of the best portraits of children in the last 200 years. | When he was arrested, Ovenden, whose work has been hung by the Tate, told police he was a "distinguished" artist who had created some of the best portraits of children in the last 200 years. |
| But opening the case against him at Truro crown court, Ramsay Quaife, prosecuting, said Ovenden had abused four of the girls – now adults – who had posed for him. | But opening the case against him at Truro crown court, Ramsay Quaife, prosecuting, said Ovenden had abused four of the girls – now adults – who had posed for him. |
| The prosecution claims the girls were aged between six and 14 when they were abused at Ovenden's former and current homes in London and Cornwall. | The prosecution claims the girls were aged between six and 14 when they were abused at Ovenden's former and current homes in London and Cornwall. |
| Quaife told the court: "What we say is that Mr Ovenden is a paedophile, a sexual abuser of children. We say the target of his abuse was young girls. | Quaife told the court: "What we say is that Mr Ovenden is a paedophile, a sexual abuser of children. We say the target of his abuse was young girls. |
| "All four of the claimants are now adult women. Their allegations go back some years." | "All four of the claimants are now adult women. Their allegations go back some years." |
| Ovenden, 70, denies charges of indecency with a child and indecent assault. | Ovenden, 70, denies charges of indecency with a child and indecent assault. |
| The alleged victims made formal complaints to police in the late 2000s and Ovenden was arrested in 2008. | The alleged victims made formal complaints to police in the late 2000s and Ovenden was arrested in 2008. |
| Quaife said: "During the course of interviews with police, Mr Ovenden was to describe himself as an artist, a distinguished artist. | Quaife said: "During the course of interviews with police, Mr Ovenden was to describe himself as an artist, a distinguished artist. |
| "He told police he still has a very major reputation as probably having entered some of the best portraits of children in the last 200 years." | "He told police he still has a very major reputation as probably having entered some of the best portraits of children in the last 200 years." |
| Asked about the alleged abuse of one of the girls, Ovenden admitted he took photographs of the girl and a few of them were "nudies", the court was told. But he denied that the images he took were of a sexual nature. | Asked about the alleged abuse of one of the girls, Ovenden admitted he took photographs of the girl and a few of them were "nudies", the court was told. But he denied that the images he took were of a sexual nature. |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |
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