A man has been charged over alleged sexual activity with a teenage family member.
The defendant, who is aged in his 40s and from the Chippenham area, faces six allegations under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
He is accused of four counts of being an adult engaged in sexual activity with a 13-17-year-old family member without penetration.
He is also accused of two counts of the same charge, but with penetration.
Despite the age of sexual consent being 16, it is illegal to take part in sexual activity with someone under 18 if they are a member of your family.
The accused cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged victim, who has the right to anonymity for life – regardless of the outcome of proceedings.
The case was sent to Swindon Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 28 October.
The defendant was released on bail with conditions not to contact the alleged victim or go to an address, which cannot be published for legal reasons.
The alleged victim in this case has the lifelong right to anonymity. It is an imprisonable criminal offence to share any piece of information that could lead to the identification of the alleged victim – including the defendant’s identity in this instance.
