A former coach of a junior football club in the Newcastle area in the 1980s has appeared in court charged with sexual abuse of young boys.
John Marshall, 69, from Longbenton, in north Tyneside, has been charged with eight offences of indecent assault against three complainants. The offences are alleged to have been carried out between 1980-85, on victims who were aged 14 or under.
The first hearing took place at North Tyneside magistrates court. The charges against Marshall follow an investigation by Northumbria police into allegations of historical child sexual abuse at football clubs in their locality, Operation Tide.
One of the alleged victims was 12 and 13 at the time Marshall is accused of indecently assaulting him, another of the boys was 13 and the other was 14.
Marshall denied all the charges and was granted unconditional bail. He is due to appear next at Newcastle crown court on 12 July.
