A former personal assistant to the Duke of Edinburgh has pleaded not guilty to four counts of historic sex abuse against a young girl.
Benjamin Herman, 79, from Hook in Hampshire, is charged with three counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 13 in the early 1970s, when he was serving as equerry to Philip.
He is also charged with one count of indecency with a child relating to a claim that he incited the same girl to commit an act of gross indecency between January 1972 and January 1974.
Wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt and blue tie, Herman spoke to confirm his name and enter not-guilty pleas to the four charges when he was arraigned at Kingston Crown Court.
Judge Georgina Kent fixed a trial date for May 18 next year. The case is expected to last two weeks.
The assaults are alleged to have happened at a house in south-west London used by military personnel, where Herman was living at the time. He was a serving major in the Royal Marines on secondment as equerry, handling the Duke's private matters and engagements.
He is currently on bail.
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