Two Falmouth pensioners are accused of sexually abusing children over three decades as part of Pagan ceremonies involving a coven of white witches.
The trial of 69-year-old Jack Kemp, of Grenville Road and Peter Petrauske, 72, who was living at The Beacon until his arrest, began at Truro Crown Court yesterday.
Details of the coven operating in Mid and West Cornwall were referred as part of the case against them.
Petrauske has denied raping one girl and three charges of assault and Kemp aiding and abetting attempted rape and 15 charges of assault.
Prosecutor Jason Beal told the jury of nine men and three women that the children involved ranged between three and 15 years and the charges span from the late 1970s to 2009.
When police officers began investigations one witness told of children being told to take their clothes off and dance around "like models". A girl aged seven or eight at the time told of children being with adults dressed in robes - one of them was Petrauske.
She had been tied to a chair and blindfolded, and on another occasion her wrists were bound and a ceremonial dagger was drawn over her body. Another witness spoke of Petrauske being "really into witchcraft" and that he would refer to himself as a chief or lord.
The trial is expected to run for at least three weeks.
The trial of 69-year-old Jack Kemp, of Grenville Road and Peter Petrauske, 72, who was living at The Beacon until his arrest, began at Truro Crown Court yesterday.
Details of the coven operating in Mid and West Cornwall were referred as part of the case against them.
Petrauske has denied raping one girl and three charges of assault and Kemp aiding and abetting attempted rape and 15 charges of assault.
Prosecutor Jason Beal told the jury of nine men and three women that the children involved ranged between three and 15 years and the charges span from the late 1970s to 2009.
When police officers began investigations one witness told of children being told to take their clothes off and dance around "like models". A girl aged seven or eight at the time told of children being with adults dressed in robes - one of them was Petrauske.
She had been tied to a chair and blindfolded, and on another occasion her wrists were bound and a ceremonial dagger was drawn over her body. Another witness spoke of Petrauske being "really into witchcraft" and that he would refer to himself as a chief or lord.
The trial is expected to run for at least three weeks.
