OAP faces sex charges

John Anthony Mitchell (66), of Watnall Road, pleaded not guilty to ten charges when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court.

Nine of the charges relate to alleged indecent assaults between January 1978, when the boy was aged five, to January 1989, when the boy was aged 16. Mitchell was 29 years old in 1978 and 40 in 1989.

The indecent assaults are alleged to have taken place either at Hucknall or at Pinxton.

Mitchell also denies an additional charge of attempting to commit buggery against the boy at Hucknall between 13th January 1985 and 13th January 1989.

Judge Gregory Dickinson was told that the allegations were first investigated by the police towards the end of the 1990s.

He adjourned the case until Monday 20th April next year when a five-day trial will begin.

Mitchell was granted bail until that date, on condition that he does not contact directly the alleged victim in the charges, who is now 42 years old.

The alleged victim cannot be named for legal reasons.