A MAN has been charged with several historic sexual assaults on an underage girl.

Stephen Roddie, of West Shore Park on Walney, appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court for his first court hearing into the case on November 25.

The 62-year-old is said to have committed four offences of gross indecency with a girl under 14, indecent assault on a child under 14, and one other offence of attempting to have sexual intercourse with a girl under 13.

Court records show the offences allegedly took place in the 1990’s.

Magistrates sent the case to the Crown Court due to having insufficient powers.

He was given conditional bail and will next appear before a judge at Preston Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on December 20.