A Three Towns man has appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in Ayr.

Kevin Hugh Rourke pleaded not guilty last week to charges of sexually assaulting a child under 16 at an address in the town.

The 45-year-old is also accused of making indecent comments towards a girl aged between 13 and 16 on August 21, 2022.

It’s alleged that he carried out a sexual assault on the girl without her consent and that he directed sexual verbal communication towards the girl by making indecent and sexualised comments towards her, with the intention of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming her.

Defence solicitor Mr Whyte told the court his client pleaded not guilty to both charges and that the defence did not foresee any preliminary issues before the case proceeds to a trial.

Fiscal depute Craig Wainwright said the Crown planned to call four civilian witnesses, including a doctor and two forensic scientists, as well as a vulnerable witness.

Bail was continued and Mr Rourke, previously of Saltcoats but currently living on West High Street in Buckhaven, Fife, will return to court to face the allegations at a later date.

All accused persons facing live charges whose cases are reported by Ayrshire Weekly Press are considered innocent unless and until they are later found, or admit to being, guilty.