A former member of the Newcastle United youth football system has appeared in court charged with 29 historical sex offences committed over the 25-year period from 1973 to 1998.
George Ormond, 61, also a coach at the Montagu and North Fenham boys football club during that period, appeared by videolink at North Tyneside magistrates court on Friday. He is charged with 28 offences of indecent assault committed on boys aged under and over 16, and one charge of buggery on a 15 year-old-boy, alleged to have been committed between 1982 and 1983. Ormond, wearing black steel-rimmed spectacles, with grey hair in a side parting, a greying beard and wearing an open-necked blue shirt, spoke at the five-minute hearing only to confirm his name, age and current address in Devon and to say that he understood the charges and conditions of the court hearing.
Of the charges 10 alleged victims of indecent assault were under 14 when the offences took place; the youngest was aged 11 at the time. Eight of the indecent assaults are alleged to have been committed on boys aged between 14 and 16; a further 10 charges relate to young men who were over 16 at the time. The charges collectively relate to alleged offences committed against 17 different victims over the 25-year period.
None of the victims can be named for legal reasons. The chair of the magistrates, Lillian Molloy, informed Ormond, who is on bail without conditions, that he will appear next on 7 July at Newcastle crown court.
