A KEIGHLEY minister is set to go on trial next year accused of historic sex offences against women including church parishioners.

The charges against Reverend John Wilson, 69, include allegations of conspiracy to rape, indecent assault, and sexual assault.

Wilson, of Shann Avenue, appeared in the dock at Bradford Crown Court alongside his 78 year-old wife Mary Wilson, of the same address, who is alleged to have aided and abetted her husband, listed as a pastor at the Liberty Pentecostal Church in Keighley, in an indecent assault.

Laurence Peterson, 58, of Eric Street, Keighley, was also in court jointly accused of a number of alleged offences with John Wilson, including conspiracy to rape.

Prosecutor David McGonigal asked that the three defendants not enter any formal pleas during yesterday’s hearing as the indictments against them were still to be finalised, adding that the charges may be changed based on the statements of the complainants involved.

The alleged offences date from between 1980 and 2010.

Although not formally arraigned, Mr McGonigal said: “There will be not guilty pleas by all defendants.”

He requested a date be set for a pre-trial hearing to be conducted by the judge who would hear the subsequent trial, which is set to last between three and four weeks.

Asked by Judge Robert Bartfield about the nature of the allegations, Mr McGonigal said some were sexual offences against congregation members alleged to have happened during prayers while in church.

Caroline Goodwin, for Peterson, asked that the trial take place after mid-July next year to suit her availability, stating the delay would not prejudice the case in any way.

The request was agreed to by Gillian Batts, for John Wilson, and Chloe Hudson, acting on behalf of his wife.

Judge Bartfield set a date of February 24 next year for a pre-trial hearing, with the trial subsequently set for July 24.

Addressing the three defendants, who sat silently in the dock listening to the 30-minute proceedings via a hearing loop system, he said: “The next hearing in your case will be the 24th of February. I’m sorry it’s going to be such a long time before your trial, but that is how long these cases take.”

The trio were all released on bail.