An Oldham Athletic footballer has been suspended by the club after being charged with grooming and child sex offences.
Jack Tuohy, 19, has been charged with two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15, three counts of inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and meeting a girl under 16 years of age following grooming.
He was arrested last October on suspicion of meeting a teenage girl following sexual grooming.
He appeared at Oldham magistrates court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to the charges, the Manchester Evening News reported. Tuohy will appear at Manchester Minshull Street crown court on 23 June.
A statement on the League One club’s website said: “The club was informed that Jack Tuohy had been charged with several offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 on 27 April 2016 and with immediate effect suspended his employment until further notice. As this is now a matter for the courts the club will not be commenting further.”
Tuohy, a product of Oldham Athletic’s youth academy, made his league debut for the club in May last year. He was loaned to non-league Ramsbottom United last season.
