A MAN faced a rape charge when he appeared in a North Yorkshire court yesterday.

John Andrew Holmes, 53, had earlier pleaded not guilty to three counts of indecent assault on a man, now aged 21, between June 1997 and September last year. At Harrogate Magistrates Court Mr Holmes, of Harlow Crescent, Harrogate, was told he faced a further charge of raping a man in September last year.

Mr Holmes, who did not enter any plea on the rape allegation, was committed to York Crown Court for trial on all four charges and was allowed conditonal bail until May 25