A former fire chief will appear in court next month charged with indecently assaulting a woman – The Irish News

The former head of Northern Ireland’s Fire and Rescue Service will appear in court next month charged with indecently assaulting a woman.

The case against Gary Thompson was listed for mention at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday, with a trial date set for November 5th.

The 56-year-old, from Rogan Wood in Newtownabbey, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault, both committed between July 1 and November 1, 2006.

After he admitted the charges in June this year, seven more charges of a similar nature against the same complainant remained in force.

However, while Thompson was awaiting sentencing on the two charges he admitted, a Crown motion was made and granted to “renew” the remaining seven counts.

Thompson, who was not present in court on Tuesday, denies all seven remaining charges of indecent assault.

His lawyer Ciaran Mallon K.S. approached Judge Roseanne McCormick KS to find out the date and location of his client’s trial.

She then confirmed that the trial would begin at Coleraine Crown Court on November 5, 2024.

Thompson led NIFRS from 2016 until his ouster in December 2018, when he resigned from the organization.