Duncan Begg is accused of raping a baby and another string of offences against women and young boys over a 25-year period.

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A man threatened to cook a six-month old and tried to drown a young boy as he was having a bath, a court heard.

Duncan Begg is on trial accused of assaulting children, using lewd and indecent practices towards boys and attempting to rape a baby.

The 48-year-old is further accused of raping and attacking women over a 25-year period.

On Monday one of the alleged victims told the High Court in Aberdeen that children would have parties at Begg's home.

The 23-year-old claimed the older man gave youths alcoholic drinks and said he had a few ciders and whisky in his Highland home when he was aged between 11 and 13.

The young man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury that on one occasion in the house Begg had cuddled him then put his hand down his shorts.

Advocate depute Richard Goddard asked: "At that time did you know what he was doing to you was wrong?"

He replied: "No."He told the court that he was also punched and slapped during visits to the house.

Mr Goddard asked: "Do you remember any other episodes or attack?"

He replied: "I was in the bath and him and his partner at the time came in and he pushed my head under the water and tried to drown me."

The jury heard that he believed his head was in the water for about five seconds.

Mr Goddard asked: "Why had he done this?"

The alleged victim replied: "I really can't remember."

The young man told the jury that he managed to escape from the property out of a back window and went to get help.

He said he was then taken to his home in Wick and spoke to his mother who called the police.

The man later told the court that he could not remember any of the alleged incidents happening to him when he was younger.

He said he had been told by his mother and other people and had also recently read statements he had given to the police several years ago.

Begg is accused of committing 43 offences over a 26-year period between January 1984 and January 2010 at various locations in Wick.

He denies all the allegations and has lodged a special defence claiming that all sexual contact he had with the women was consensual. The trial continues.