A FORMER award-winning Neighbourhood Watch chief denied asking a teenaged girl to draw up a price list for sexual services, a court heard.

Charles Anthony Lane, (pictured) 56, a former Gaer Neighbourhood Watch leader, denies 24 sex and violence charges against women and young girls dating from the early 1970s to July 22 this year.

Yesterday the jury at Newport crown court heard transcripts of a series of police interviews held in May and July.

DC Mark Lemoignan, a PC at the time he interviewed Lane, read out: "You asked her what she would be willing to do for money. The highest price was for sex and the lowest for stripping. You asked her to make a price list."

Lane replied at the interview: "It never happened. She's telling lies." The court heard how Lane forced himself on a young girl in the van he used when working as a DJ.

It is also alleged he subjected a woman to sexual abuse. The interviewing officer told him: "You gave her £45 and said 'not bad for an hour's work'."

Lane consistently denied all the allegations during the interviews, saying at one point: "That's a total lie. Maybe she has been watching too many movies."

DC Lemoignan said he noticed how one of the alleged victims had a two- inch bruise on her knee a week after she made her complaints against Lane.

The court heard Lane joined the Royal Regiment of Wales and served in Hong Kong, Aden, Korea, Germany, Canada and Northern Ireland before leaving the Army for good in 1974.

He then became worked in vehicle recovery and as a self-employed DJ. John Jenkins, QC, defending, told the court Lane had one previous conviction from October 1971 for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, for which he was fined.

He was given an absolute discharge for possessing an offensive weapon in the same incident.

Lane denies six counts of rape; four of committing indecency with children; four of indecent assault; one of causing or encouraging the prostitution of a girl under the age of 16; one of procuring a woman to have sex with himself and others by using threats or intimidation; one of abducting a 15-year-old girl; one count of attempted rape; four of assault occasioning actual bodily harm; one of grievous bodily harm and one of witness intimidation.

The trial continues.