A MAN accused of sexually abusing a child faces a retrial after a jury was discharged for legal reasons.

Lee Parker, 49, had denied five counts of sexually assaulting a child, three counts of causing or inciting a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity and two counts of causing a child to watch a sex act.

A trial at Ipswich Crown Court had run for two weeks, but on Monday Judge Emma Peters discharged the jury for legal reasons.

She said a retrial will take place at a later date.

The allegations first came to light when a boy used a tablet computer to tell a friend about the abuse he had suffered at the hands of Parker, the court was told.

The chat log was discovered by a relative and the police were called.

Parker is also alleged to have shown two girls pornographic material.

Parker, now of Sutton Road, Southend, lived at addresses in Colchester at the time of the alleged offences.

The court heard Parker suggested to police the allegations were “a put-up job”, made in an attempt “to ruin his life”.