A man is to be tried for 60 alleged sex abuse offences involving 18 children, a court heard today.
The 66-year-old man is to go on trial next year at the Crown Court in Derry to face the allegations which involve nine boys and nine girls and are alleged to have occurred between September 2005 and August 2018.
At his arraignment before Judge Philip Babington yesterday the defendant, William Patterson, from Magherafelt Road in Tobermore, replied not guilty to all of the 60 offences.
The offences include sexual assault, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity with him, committing a sex act in front of a child, indecent assault and indecent behaviour and sexual assault by penetration.
Family members of some of the alleged victims were in court for the arraignment hearing.
A prosecution barrister told Judge Babington that the trial was expected to last at least four weeks.
A trial date was provisionally fixed for next June and the case is to be reviewed on November 12. In the meantime the defendant was released on continuing bail.
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