A hairdresser accused of forcing vulnerable teenage girls to have sex with his dog has insisted the claims are "malicious lies".

Anthony Foster, 35, of St James's Park, West Croydon, told a court this morning allegations he raped and sexually assaulted three girls were "nonsense" dreamt up to make money.

Prosecutors allege Mr Foster befriended the girls, aged between 16 and 18, at parties in his three Croydon barber shops, before subjecting them to months of depraved abuse.

Two of the girls claim he repeatedly raped them and made them have sex with his French mastiff, while one accuses him of sexually assaulting her with a beer bottle.

Mr Foster claimed the girls were colluding against him in the hope of pocketing compensation.

His defence barrister, Ian Henderson, told Croydon Crown Court today: "These allegations are nonsense. Mr Foster's case is that they just did not happen."

He said one of Mr Foster's alleged victims, a 16-year-old with whom he had a consensual relationship, had made up the claims "for malicious reasons" before enlisting the other two girls to back her up.

Mr Henderson questioned why two of the girls initially continued to socialise with Mr Foster after he allegedly abused them.

He also drew the jury's attention to an 18-year-old alleged victim's suggestion Mr Foster could be "the sweetest person in the world" at times.

Mr Henderson told the jury: "Just ask yourself, if this man had acted to you in the way she described, could you allow those words to pass from your lips."

He added: "He was raping her and she allowed herself, time and time again, to be alone with him? It's a common sense, practical question: why?"

Mr Foster denies 14 charges, including three counts of rape, two of assault by penetration, three of causing to engage in sexual activity without consent, two of sexual assault, inciting prostitution and attempted assault by penetration.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdict on Monday.