A Wigan 76-year-old appears in court to deny dozens of child sexual offences dating back to the 1970s
Three women are alleging that a Wigan man sexually abused them when they were children in the 1970s to ’90s. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges
A Wigan pensioner has denied a catalogue of allegations of child sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s.
Michael McKnight, 76, of Downall Green Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, appeared before a Bolton Crown Court judge to enter 26 not guilty charges, mainly to charges of indecent assault.
Three women have made claims against him, one saying she was sexually abused between 1979 and 1985 when aged between seven and 12, a second who claims he sexually assulted her between 1983 and 1990 when she was aged seven to 13, and a third who alleges he sexually abused her from 1990 to 1994.
Some of the charges relating to the second two complainants alleged multiple attacks of at least five assaults over a certain period and both have also made allegations of gross indecency against him.
What are called Section 28 hearings are currently taking place during which each of the complainants are interviewed and recorded so their testimonies can be used at trial in future.
The trial itself, due to record court backlogs, is only scheduled to begin on July 16 2029 before which McKnight is on conditional bail.