A PENSIONER accused of the historical and repeated rapes of a girl is set to stand trial later this year.
Harold Nicholson faced four separate charges when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court earlier today (MON) in front of Judge Nicholas Barker.
Each charge alleges that seventy-year-old Nicholson raped a girl aged under 16 during a 12-month period during the 1990s on “no less than 10 occasions”.
Nicholson, of Holywell Crescent, Carlisle, pleaded not guilty to each of the four charges as they were read to him by the court clerk.
A timetable for the future progression of the case was outlined by Miss Ellen Shaw, for the prosecution.
Nicholson is due to go on trial before a jury at the crown court. This hearing is due to start on June 15 and, it is estimated, will last around four days.
In the meantime Nicholson was granted conditional bail by Judge Barker.
