Eight men plead not guilty to child sex offences

The men will next appear at Warwick Crown Court on 7 November

Eight men have pleaded not guilty to child sex offences.

The charges relating to a girl happened between 2018 and 2021 in locations including Warwickshire, Yorkshire, Newcastle upon Tyne and Darlington. Warwickshire Police has previously said.

Eleven men, all aged between 20 and 30, appeared at two separate hearings at Warwick Crown Court on Friday, but not all were asked to enter pleas.

Judge Kristina Montgomery said there would be two separate trials for the defendants, starting in January 2027.

The eight men who pleaded not guilty are:

• Jack Forrest, 22, of Shilton Lane, Coventry, denied sexual assault of a child under 13, sexual activity with a child and two counts of rape

• Louis Gaskin, 22, of Windmill Lane, Balsall Common, denied four counts of making indecent photographs of a child

• George Flannigan, 21, of The Mead, Darlington, denied rape of a child under 13, and two counts of making indecent photographs of a child

• John Jenkins, 23, of Lime Lane, Walsall, denied a count of rape

• Henry Brazil, 23, of Hessam Heights, Morecambe, denied causing the sexual exploitation of a child and four counts of distributing indecent photographs of a child

• Teddy Jones, 23, of Smorrall Lane, Bedworth, denied causing the sexual exploitation of a child

• Michael Wilshire, 23, of Mile Tree Lane, Coventry, denied causing the sexual exploitation of a child

• William Evans, 23, of Long Lane, Walsall, pleaded not guilty to causing the sexual exploitation of a child

Three men were not asked to enter a plea:

• Billy Maguire, 20, of Top Road, Coventry, who is charged with rape of a child under 13 and five counts of sexual activity with a child

• Richard Lee, 22, of Westbourne Grove, Selby, who is charged with three counts of making an indecent image of a child

• Henry Gaskin, 20, of Measham Road, Oakthorpe, Swadlincote, who did not appear in court for unrelated reasons, was also not arraigned on Friday

The court heard Charlie Lee, 30, of Mile Tree Lane, Coventry, pleaded guilty to seven indecent images offences at a previous hearing and will be sentenced at a date to be decided.

All the men were told to appear at court on 7 November for a further case management hearing.

The first trial would start on 25 January 2027, lasting three weeks, and a second trial beginning on 15 February 2027, was expected to last two weeks, the judge added.

It had not yet been decided which defendants would appear at each trial, a court official said.