A former teacher at a Keighley school has appeared before magistrates accused of sexually abusing girls as young as nine.

Graham Walter Nichols, 62, of Storr Hill, Wyke, Bradford, faces 10 charges of indecent assault against children under 14 dating back 27 years.

He also faces one charge of gross indecency against one of five children, Bingley Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday.

All the alleged assaults were committed between August 31, 1979, and August 1, 1980, while Nichols was a teacher at St Anne’s Catholic Primary School, in North Street, Keighley, said Marina Hunter-Gray, prosecuting. She said each of the five children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had made two complaints against the former teacher. The allegation of gross indecency was also made by one of the five complainants, who were aged between nine and 10 at the time, said Mrs Hunter-Gray.

Nichols, who is partially sighted and was accompanied to court by his uncle, did not offer pleas to any of the offences.

Magistrate Mr Peter Riley said the bench had insufficient powers to deal with the case and adjourned the hearing for it to be committed to the crown court.

Nichols, who was represented in court by solicitor Michael Reeves, was granted unconditional bail.

A committal hearing will be held at Bingley Magistrates’ Court on October 28.