One of the alleged victims of Medieval Re-enactment Society guru Trevor Pilling told him she looked upon him as a Druid, a jury was told yesterday.

So in awe of the pensioner's talents, she invited Chesham resident Pilling into her home to carry out some crystal healing, leaving her own husband outside the room pacing up and down.

The woman, who said she later became alarmed as Pilling carried out some "hands on" treatment as if he was "trying to get inside my clothes," was giving evidence against the 78-year-old, who was a founder member of the Buckinghamshire-based Lion Rampant Medieval Display Society.

Pilling, who the jury was told used his ceremonial cloak to encircle women before groping them under the cover of his cape, denies 12 charges of sexual and indecent assault against eight different women over a period of 25 years.

He is accused of preying on vulnerable women in hotels, during play rehearsals and in their own homes.

The jury, sitting at Aylesbury Crown Court, was told by the witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, that she had totally trusted Pilling and described him as her Druid.

He had been at her marital home to carry out a crystal treatment to heal a debilitating back injury, the court heard.

The woman told how Pilling had asked her how she saw him before he carried out the treatment.

"I remember I was in a mixture of pain and hope and then that turned to feeling emotional," she said.

"I said, 'you're a good friend and I respect you very much and you're almost like a Druid to me', because that was the aura. He said to me he was not a Druid, but I said, 'to me you are'."

The woman told the jury how she could hear his breath behind her as he moved his hands slowly over her arms and back.

"According to my tradition and healing, there would be no physical contact whatsoever," she said.

"I wasn't expecting any physical contact. It was gentle touching, but then the hands slid to areas that weren't hurting at all. I just jumped and he said 'it's alright'.

"That's when I started to doubt myself that maybe it was a different sort of healing method. Up to then I didn't have any reason to doubt him, but it didn't feel right.

"I felt a gentle movement but as if he was trying to get into my clothes," she said.

When the treatment ended, Pilling outstretched his arms to the woman for a hug.

"I heard my husband pacing outside the door and I wanted to say 'alright, fine' and then it would be finished," she said.

"So he did give me a hug but it was more than an embrace. He held me tightly and I couldn't get out. I tried but he held me tighter."

It was then alleged that Pilling groped the woman's breasts as she tried to struggle free.

"I froze," she told the jury.

"I was shocked and I froze and then I thought, that's the end of a treatment from a friend. I could hear my husband going up and down, probably wondering after so long. He [Pilling] was still holding me and he wanted a kiss.

"I said, 'no, this is wrong', and he said, 'don't worry, it's going to be a secret between you and me'."

She claimed Pilling then kissed her on the cheek and the lips.

Pilling then left the room and spoke to her husband in their bedroom for 15 minutes before leaving the house, the court was told.

She did not tell police of the alleged attack until months later as she did not think she would be believed.

Pilling, of Lycrome Lane, Chesham, denies 12 counts of indecent and sexual assault on a total of eight women between 1982 and 2007.

The trial was adjourned until today.