The jury in the trial of folk singer Roy Harper today retired to consider its verdict on historical sex allegations against him.

The 73-year-old has been on trial at Worcester Crown Court for two weeks after he denied accusations dating back to the mid 1970s, when he lived at the Vauld farmhouse in Marden, Herefordshire.

He is charged with three offences of indecent assault, two of indecency with a child and one of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 between 1975 and 1977 all relating to the same girl, who was aged 11 or 12 at the time. Three other charges were struck out during the trial. He also faces a further charge of indecent assault of a 16-year-old girl at a house in Hereford on a date between 1980 and 1981.

Harper told police he was on top of the world and really making waves in the music industry when he lived in Herefordshire in the 1970s with his actress partner at the time, Verna Harvey. The jury has been given accounts of the lifestyle they had at the farm when famous musicians including Robert Plant and Ronnie Lane of the Faces would be among the visitors.

The younger girl claims Harper assaulted her in a barn when she went to help him with his sheep, in his bedroom and on one occasion when she sat on his lap at a dining table while he was playing Mah Jongg with a visiting American musician.

Harper did not take the witness stand in his own defence due to a medical condition which made it difficult for him to process the answer to questions. Defending barrister Adrian Waterman, QC, said it had left him with the brain of a 90-year-old man.

The younger girl made the complaints after reports of the Jimmy Savile investigation brought the memories back to her.

Harper told police the allegations were "complete rubbish."

The jury of six men and six women was sent to consider its verdict by Judge Robert Juckes QC at 10.28am today.