A FORMER Coulsdon Christian pastor accused of child abuse, assault by penetration on a woman and sexually assaulting 13-year-old girls has appeared in court.
Reverend Howard Curtis, 71, of Bloxworth Close, Wallington, faces six charges of child abuse against boys and girls, two charges of indecent assault on girls under 16, four charges of sexual assault on 13-year-old girls and assault by penetration on a woman.
Curtis, formerly of the Coulsdon Christian Fellowship, did not enter a plea to any of the charges at Croydon Crown Court this morning (November 14) but a date for his potential trial was set for September 7, 2015.
The 13 charges relate to alleged offences against eight victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, dating from between 1969 and 2012.
Curtis was given conditional bail ahead of a plea and case management hearing on February 2, 2015.
Curtis was the leader of the Coulsdon Christian Fellowship, in Chipstead Valley Road, until May 2012. He remained a senior minister until June 2013.
