August 2, 2022 11.04 am This story is over 19 months old

Grantham man denies more than 20 child sex charges

His trial will begin in January
Lincoln Crown Court. | Photo: Kurnia Aerial Photography

A Grantham man has denied sexual charges against a number of young alleged victims and making indecent images of children.

Christopher Manning, 37, will stand trial in January next year after he entered not guilty pleas to the 21 allegations he faces during a hearing at Lincoln Crown Court.

Manning, of Dalton Close, Grantham, was originally charged with the first alleged offences in February and appeared before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court.

He denies seven charges relating to a boy aged under-16 including three offences of rape, two charges of sexual assault and two charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Manning also pleaded not guilty to nine offences against three alleged female victims, who cannot be named to protect their anonymity.

They include two charges of indecent assault, three charges of rape, one charge of sexual intercourse with a girl aged under-13, one charge of sexual assault, one charge of sexual activity with a child and one charge of sexual communications with a child.

Manning also pleaded not guilty to three charges relating to the making of indecent images of children in category A – the most serious – category B and category C.

He also denied two further charges of possessing a prohibited image and encouraging or assisting the distribution of an indecent image.

The offences are alleged to have occurred over a 23 year period between November 1998 and February this year.

Judge Simon Hirst remanded Manning back into custody until his trial in January.