A FIFTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD man facing multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault involved a young girl has been ordered to stand trial at Taunton Crown Court.
Mark Steward, 54, of Darland Avenue, Gillingham, Kent, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.
He was charged with four counts of raping a girl under the age of 13 at Crewkerne on dates between December 31, 2004 and January 1, 2007.
He was further alleged to have sexually assaulted the same victim involving penetration at a location in Somerset between the same two dates.
The defendant did not enter any pleas to the offences and the case was so serious that the magistrates said he could only be tried at Taunton Crown Court.
The court was told that the defendant claimed that the offences did not take place.
The case was adjourned until September 12 when the defendant must return to the court at Yeovil for a trial to take place.
In the meantime he was released on unconditional bail.
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