Officer charged with under-age sex

A policeman has appeared in court accused of committing sex offences against underage girls.

Kevin Hicks, 37, of East Huntspill, Somerset, is charged with having unlawful sex, gross indecency and indecent assault on girls under 16.

Mr Hicks was suspended from his duties as a police officer with the Avon and Somerset force in February.

Appearing before North Somerset magistrates on Thursday he was remanded on bail until 6 May.

Twelve charges

He faces three charges of unlawful sex, three of indecent assault and three of gross indecency against one girl, and three charges of indecent assault against a second girl.

The charges relate to incidents which are said to have happened between 1 April 2002 and 7 February 2004.

Mr Hicks, who did not enter a plea, worked as an intelligence officer in the Southmead area of Bristol until August last year.

He was then posted to an administrative support unit in another police district before being suspended in February.