Neville Christopher Yeomans to face trial over historic child abuse charges
A man, 78, extradited from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast will stand trial over 15 historic child sexual abuse charges on the Central Coast in the 1970s and 80s.
Central Coast
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Thirty-three years after a warrant was issued for his arrest, Neville Christopher Yeomans will stand trial in Gosford District Court over historic child abuse allegations.
The 78-year-old, of Ningi on the Queensland Sunshine Coast, appeared at Wyong Local Court via video link on Tuesday where his Legal Aid solicitor formally entered pleas of not guilty to 15 charges of sexual and indecent assault, buggery, inciting a child to commit a sexual act and being an adult who maintained unlawful relationship with a child.
A further seven charges were withdrawn and dismissed.
Charge sheets allege Mr Yeomans committed the sexually-based offences between 1980 and 1987 involving a girl and boy while they were aged between six and 12 at Chittaway, Wyong and South West Rocks.
He has also been charged with committing an act of indecency on a boy at The Entrance in 1972.
An arrest warrant was issued for Mr Yeomans in 1987 but it was not until May last year when Tuggerah Lakes detectives started reinvestigating the reports of child sex offences on the coast.
Following the investigation, and with assistance from the Queensland Police, Mr Yeomans was arrested at Dalby, Queensland, on October 31, 2019.
An extradition to NSW warrant was granted at Dalby Magistrates Court on November 1 and he was remanded in custody.
Tuggerah Lakes detectives travelled to Queensland and escorted Mr Yeomans back to NSW and into custody at Raymond Terrace Police Station.
He will be arraigned to stand trial in Gosford District Court on October 22.
His solicitor did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.