A former head of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service is to stand trial next month on charges of indecently assaulting a female.
The case against Gary Thompson was listed ‘for mention’ at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday and a date for his trial was fixed as November 5.
The 56-year old, from Rogan Wood in Newtownabbey, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault which were both committed on a date between July 1 and November 1, 2006.
After he admitted the charges in June of this year, a further seven charges of a similar nature against the same complainant were left on the books.
However, whilst Thompson was awaiting sentence on the two charges he admitted, a Crown application to have the remaining seven counts ‘revived’ was made and granted.
Thompson - who did not attend court on Tuesday - denies all seven of the remaining charges of indecent assault.
His barrister Ciaran Mallon KC addressed Judge Roseanne McCormick KC to enquire about the date and venue for his client’s trial.
She then confirmed that the trial will commence at Coleraine Crown Court on November 5, 2024.
Thompson led the NIFRS from 2016 until his suspension in December 2018 and he subsequently retired from the organisation.