broadcaster Stuart Hall will not give evidence from the witness box in defence of sex assault allegations, a jury has been told.

Hall, 84, has pleaded not guilty at Preston Crown Court to 20 allegations of rape and indecent assault between 1976 and 1981 against two young girls.

The complainants came forward after he was jailed last year for a string of historical indecent assaults against 13 young girls.

Following the end of the prosecution case, Crispin Aylett QC, defending Hall, said: "I am not intending to call the defendant to give evidence."

It is said the former It's A Knockout presenter groomed his victims and plied them with alcohol before he raped them.

One of the complainants, Girl B, said Hall raped her when she was aged 12 at a stables and went on to rape her at various locations, including at two BBC studios, when she was 14 and 15.

The other alleged victim, Girl A, said she was raped on numerous occasions at the same Manchester studios at Piccadilly and Oxford Road when she was aged between 14 and 16.

Hall said the alleged rape at the stables did not take place, while other sexual contact was consensual.

He has admitted to indecently assaulting Girl B when she was aged 13.

Earlier, the jury heard that Hall told police he was "surprised" when confronted with fresh sexual assault allegations.

The first complainant, Girl A, contacted a firm of solicitors on June 5 last year - a month after it entered the public domain that Hall had pleaded guilty to 14 offences involving 13 young girls.

Two days later she contacted police and went on to make a witness statement on August 7 last year.

Girl B was asked by police in December 2012 - when Hall was initially arrested in the first investigation - whether she would make a witness statement in relation to a complainant but she said she did not want to become involved.

The trial continues tomorrow.