A TEENAGER who is accused of serious sexual offences has appeared in court to face four further allegations arising out of a series of incidents at Bridport.

The 17-year-old Bridport boy cannot be named because of his age - nor can the alleged victims be identi fied. He appeared before a youth court at Blandford on Wednesday, 24 hours after being remanded in police custody by Weymouth magistrates. The court heard the total of eight allegations related to three separate incidents which it is said occurred within a short period just before and after 2.30 am on Sunday.

The four new allegations are an accusation of unlawful wounding of an elderly woman; burglary and inflicting grievous bodily harm on an elderly man; burglary with intent to rape; and an indecent assault on the woman. At the previous court appearance allegations had been put of attempted rape; entering a property with intent to rape; indecent assault; and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. These allegations related to a woman in her 30s.

The bench decided that a number of the allegations should be dealt with at Crown Court. The case was adjourned and will next come before the Weymouth youth court on September 2. No application was made at this stage for the teenager to be released on bail and he was remanded in custody.

The court heard that a bail application was expected to be made when a suitable place at a bail hostel was found.