The father of 13 children held in captivity in California has been charged with carrying out a lewd act against a child, as it emerged that the 17-year-old who raised the alarm had plotted her escape for two years.

Appearing before a judge in Riverside on Thursday afternoon, Mr and Mrs Turpin plead not guilty to all charges against them.

The pair were led in chains into Judge Michael Donner's courtroom in Riverside, wearing prison-issue black long-sleeved clothes.

The couple were given two different lawyers to represent them, allowing each to claim the other has more culpability if they wish, according to Mrs Turpin's attorney Jeff Moore.

David Macher, the public defender representing Mr Turpin, admitted it would be "a challenge" to defend his client.