A MAN has appeared in court facing multiple allegations of child sex abuse in Chard dating back to the late 1990s.

Kevin Jeffrey Rodgers, 42, of Belmont Street, Easton, was in the dock before Somerset Magistrates in Yeovil, charged with the offences which are said to have been committed on various dates in the town.

He was charged with an act of gross indecency, and is allegedly said to have made a girl under the age of 14 hold his penis between July 19, 1998 and June 26, 2002 at Chard.

He was charged with a similar offence of gross indecency on the same victim by inciting her to urinate in a glass and was also alleged to have committed multiple offences of the same nature between the same dates.

The defendant was also alleged to have committed a further act of gross indecency with the girl by getting her to sit on his face while she was naked.

He was also charged that between July 19, 2001 and June 26, 2002 at Chard he indecently assaulted a girl under the age of 14.

Rodgers did not enter pleas to any of the alleged offences and the magistrates said the case was so serious that he must be sent to Taunton Crown Court to stand trial.

They adjourned the case until April 24 when the defendant must attend a pre-trial hearing at the court.

In the meantime he was released on unconditional bail.