A pensioner has appeared in court to face claims of historical sexual abuse of girls at an address in South Ayrshire – as well as a more recent allegation of sexually assaulting a man.

David Kirkpatrick, 68, denied all the allegations when he appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court.

Mr Kirkpatrick, of Girvan, is alleged to have behaved in a “lewd, indecent or libidinous” manner towards a girl at an address in the town between August 30, 1988 and December 31, 1996.

The Crown indictment accuses him of compelling the girl, who was aged between four and 12 at the time, to rub oil or similar on him while he lay naked on a bed, and of then making her take part in a sexual act.

A further charge alleges that he behaved in the same lewd, indecent or libidinous manner towards a girl who was aged between five and seven on a single occasion between January 1, 1988 and December 31, 1989.

This charge accuses him of removing the girl’s lower clothing before placing his hands on her leg and rubbing her.

It’s further alleged that Mr Kirkpatrick attempted to sexually assault a man while in the course of his employment at a South Ayrshire Council yard on an occasion between February 1 and March 31, 2018 by forcefully prodding the man through his trousers with his fingers.

He faces a further accusation of attacking the same man in Maybole Cemetery on March 25, 2021, when he allegedly seized him by the leg and ran his hands up and down his leg before carrying out a sexual assault.

Defence solicitor Tony Currie told a hearing on Wednesday, May 17 that he and his client were ready to take the case to trial.

Sheriff Shirley Foran fixed a trial date for later this year, adding: “As matters are of a historic nature it's important to get it in the diary."

Mr Kirkpatrick’s bail was continued and he will return to court at a later date.