A PENSIONER has appeared in court accused of a string of historic offences of sexual assaults on a young child alleged to have taken place in Merriott.

Richard Budd, 74, of Longton Grove Road, Weston-super-Mare, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates at Yeovil.

He was charged with two count of assaulting a girl under the age of 13 years by digital penetration at Merriott between December 31, 2000 and August 27, 2003.

He was also alleged to have committed five further counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 13 years at Merriott on various occasions between the same two dates.

The defendant did not enter any pleas to the offences and the magistrates said that the first two allegations were so serious that Budd had to be sent to Taunton Crown Court to stand trial.

They adjourned all seven matters until September 11 when the defendant must appear before a pre trial hearing at Taunton.

Until then he was released on unconditional bail.