A County Armagh man charged with indecent assaults on a female and gross indecency towards a child dating back to the 1970s will face Crown Court proceedings later this month.
The 67-year-old appeared at Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Newry, on Tuesday for the purposes of a preliminary enquiry (PE), the legal process during which a case is referred to the higher court.
He is charged with seven counts of indecent assault on a female and six counts of gross indecency towards a child.
As the charges were read, it was heard that all are alleged to have been committed between December 31, 1972, and January 1, of 1976.
The allegations relate to one male and one female.
The defendant made no objection to the holding of a preliminary enquiry.
Prosecution submitted that based on the papers before the court there was a prima facie case to answer.
Defence solicitor Richard Monteith made no contrary submissions, commenting: “The bar is so low.”
District Judge Bernie Kelly was satisfied there was a prima facie case to answer and the defendant was released on his own bail of £500 to appear at Newry Crown Court on November 30 for arraignment.
Conditions of bail included to have no contact with the alleged injured parties.
