AN 81-YEAR-OLD man has appeared in court accused of historic child sex offences dating back to 1969.

Roger McColm, of Portland, appeared in Weymouth Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, September 14.

He was accused of four counts of rape of a female aged under 16 and four counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14.

The charges were alleged to have taken place in Dorset during a ten-year period, between 1969 and 1979.

As many of the offences are indictable only, no plea was entered and no further details of the case were outlined.

Due to the seriousness of the offences chair of the bench Louise Dutton sent the case to Bournemouth Crown Court.

His case will be heard on October 13 at Bournemouth Crown Court. He was released on unconditional bail.