A MAN has appeared before York Magistrates Court accused of sexually assaulting a child at Ampleforth College's junior school.

Sean Ambrose Farrell, 49, denied two charges of indecent assault and two charges of gross indecency.

All four offences are alleged to have been committed against a child aged under 14 at the time.

Farrell, who gave his address as Riddings Road, Ilkley, was released on bail on condition that he has no unsupervised contact with children aged under 16.

Deputy district judge Barr sent his case to be tried before a judge and jury at York Crown Court where he will appear on March 24 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Before the case began at York Magistrates Court, the deputy district judge ordered everyone including the media to leave court.

The defendant was then called into court and in a private hearing, the deputy district judge heard representations from a lawyer representing an organisation which is not formally part of the case, as well as lawyers for the prosecution and defence.

Then he allowed members of the media and the public into court and the case proceeded with only prosecution and defence lawyers present.

At the end of the case, he announced that he had made an order during the private hearing which prevents the Press reporting two matters.

The offences are alleged to have taken place in the 1980s.