A RETIRED teacher denied allegations of historic sexual abuse against two former pupils.
Standing alongside his solicitor in the dock of Antrim Crown Court, Patrick Gerard Sharkey (79) entered not guilty pleas to each of the six charges against him.
Sharkey, originally from Donegal but with an address at Route D’Oradour in Linards, central France, faces two counts of indecent assault against a first complainant on dates between 31 August 1992 and 1 July 1994.
In relation to a second complainant, he faces four similar charges alleged to have been committed between 1 May 1995 and 31 December 1998.
Previous courts have heard the alleged victims are former pupils of Sharkey, who retired to France a number of years ago but was arrested last June when he was visiting family in Coventry.
In court, defence KC Eugene Grant said the defence statement "will be signed and lodged today", adding that the trial "could go into a second week".
Freeing Sharkey on bail, Judge Roseanne McCormick KC scheduled the trial to begin on February 13 next year with a review in four weeks time.
