A MAN in his 50s is to stand trial later this year for serious sex offences said to have been committed against two girls.

Stuart Jameson, from the Consett area of County Durham, is facing an eight-count indictment which was committed to the crown court by magistrates last month, when he was remanded in custody.

Appearing at a plea and trial preparation hearing at Durham Crown Court, via video link from prison in Preston, Lancashire, he denied a total of five counts of rape of a child under the age of 13, four of them alleged to involve one complainant and the fifth said to have been committed against another girl.

He put in a further not guilty plea to two charges of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The defendant, of Priestman Avenue, The Grove, also denied a single count of making an indecent photograph of a child.

In the wake of those pleas, the court set about pinpointing a suitable trial date for all the case within the custody time limit to detain the defendant, which prosecutor Laurie Scott said expires on Friday November 9.

Defence barrister David Callan said it was agreed there was a time estimate of up to five days for the duration of the trial.

A suitable date was pinpointed for Monday November 5, which all parties agreed on.

Judge Christopher Prince, therefore, said he would list the case for trial starting on that date.

He remanded the defendant, who is 53 on Saturday, to remain in custody until the trial.