Derry Court: Man returned for trial to face 27 charges of sexual assault

A Derry man has been returned for trial to the local Crown Court on a series of sexual assault charges.

The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged victims in the case appeared at a preliminary enquiry at Derry Magistrate's Court today.

He faces a total of 27 charges relating to two alleged victims including one charge of rape on a date between January 1 1999 and October 31 1999.

He is also charged with indecently assaulting the two females, cruelty to a child under 16 and attempted indecent assault on a female child.

All of the charges are alleged to have occurred on dates between January 1 1999 and December 31 2006.

It was accepted there was a case to answer and there were no contrary submissions person.

The man said he did not want to call any witnesses or make any statement at this stage.

He was returned for trial to Derry Crown Court on May 3 and released on bail.