A former defence solicitor said he would touch clients in a “pre-arranged” way during interviews but never in a sexual manner, a court has heard.

Alan Harris, 72, of Thorn Park, Plymouth, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of 12 charges of indecent assault, eight charges of sexual assault and two charges of rape, dating from 1989 to 2015.

In summing up, Recorder of Winchester Judge Angela Morris said Mr Harris, who denies the charges, said he would touch a client to get them to take a breath or “shut up” during interviews, but it would have been “simply impossible” to do this in a sexual way.

The jury has retired to consider its verdict. The trial continues.

Former clients of Mr Harris have accused him of sexually abusing them in the cells at Plymouth’s Charles Cross Police Station, Plymouth Magistrates’ Court, his car and his office.

Some of the alleged victims said Mr Harris had rubbed their thighs and touched their bottom along with hugging and kissing them in the police station and court cells.

Judge Morris told the jury Mr Harris had denied touching any of his clients in a sexual manner.

She added the defendant had spoken about how he would make physical contact with clients, but in a friendly and planned way.

“The defendant said upon meeting a client, he would shake hands and if they were looking distressed or dejected, he might put an arm around their shoulder,” Judge Morris said.

“He said he might have touched a knee in a pre-arranged mechanism to tell a client to take a breath, to stop or to shut up during an interview [with police].”

She added Mr Harris said during interviews at the police station, two officers would be in the room at the same time and he would not have touched a client’s groin.

“He said it would be simply impossible because there would’ve been an immediate reaction by the person and also the police were there, so it would never happen,” Judge Morris said.

He said an arm around a shoulder had in Mr Harris’ experience been a “moderately successful” way of getting a person to take a breath, she said.

Before retiring the jury, Judge Morris went over character statements that had been read out in defence of Mr Harris.

Friends and colleagues had described Mr Harris as a “workaholic” who was always “calm and professional” with clients.

Judge Morris read out part of a statement from Chris Robinson, a school friend of Mr Harris, who said: “He could be quite blunt but honest and was not someone who was interested in gossip.

“He has always been a supporter of the underdog.”