A former church minister is to appear before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe today (Wednesday) charged with a number of serious historical sexual offences.
The Venerable Granville Gibson, aged 79, is to appear before magistrates this afternoon charged with eight offences in total – some which allegedly happened in Aycliffe.
They relate to two victims, both of whom were teenagers at the time.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place in Aycliffe and Consett between 1977 and 1978, and consist of three counts of indecent assault and one of buggery on a man aged 16 or over.
He has also been charged with four indecent assaults on a second victim, in Aycliffe between October 1979 and October 1983.
Gibson, from West Crescent in Darlington, was originally arrested in April 2014 and was charged on 7th May this year.