A trial involving alleged sexual abuse over a number of decades has heard that the defendant said "My life is over" when confronted and had threatened to kill himself.

Frederick Peter Hichens, from Porthleven, is charged with 17 counts of indecent assault involving a total of 66 separate occasions, and one of attempted rape, which the prosecution allege took place between the 1960s and 2000. A number are alleged to have involved underage girls.

The 73-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all charges and now stands trial at Truro Crown Court.

On Monday the jury was told that Hichens visited the Royal Cornwall Hospital in February last year, after making threats of suicide.

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Today the court heard how, not long before Hichens had visited the hospital, a relative of one of the victims had told him to "get out the village" or the police would be told about what had happened.

The witness said: "I told him to get out the village within the next 24 hours or I will go to the police and tell them myself."

At one point, when confronted with the accusations, Hichens was said to have put his head in his hands, saying "My life's over."

Hichens was called a paedophile by a relative of one of the victims, and in reply had said: "It was different back then."

During another piece of evidence, the jury heard that Hichens had phoned someone to say "It's all over. I'm going to kill myself."

He had sounded "very upset" and had called a number of times that morning.

One witness told the court that she had been friends with one of the victims while at school. They had been at a sleepover as teenagers when the victim had told her what happened, but begged her friend not to tell anyone, adding that the abuse had stopped and she was safe.

The victim had become very upset, to the point that she had to be taken home.

Before she left she had written on a photograph in her friend's room: "To my best friend. Now you know everything. Best friends forever."

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Charles Rowe said that after Hichens had first appeared at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, an appointment was made for him to receive a mental health assessment.

In this he initially presented as "vague and inconsistent" in the answers he was giving, describing "bizarre experiences" and telling the two doctors he was hearing "the voice of a red devil telling him to end his life."

However, his answers appeared to be not consistent with a major mental health episode, and Dr Rowe said when challenged over this Hichens "very quickly seemed to change in his presentation."

Dr Rowe said: "He became completely coherent and was able to focus fully on the assessment. It was our opinion that these symptoms were not part of a major mental illness."

Despite this, Dr Simon Marlow, the lead consultant psychiatrist, said that the risk of Hichens completing suicide was considered "quite high" given the context of his concerns at that time, and as a result Dr Marlow had contacted a local safeguarding team and the Office for Public Protection to discuss an appropriate safety plan.

The court was also played a recording of a 999 call made by Hichens shortly after a hospital appointment, in which he tells the operator he has cut his wrist with a mechanical saw.

In a voice that appears slightly slurred, Hichens can be heard saying: "I've failed again. Oh my lord."

He then confirms he cut himself deliberately and adds: "They are aware of it in A&E. I told them when I went home this afternoon that I have to die. I have failed again. I've failed myself and I've failed everybody."

Despite further questioning from the operator Hichens then disappears from the line.

The trial continues.