A MUSIC teacher will face trial later this year after denying sexually assaulting nine girls.

Nicholas Fisher, of Bartestree, pleaded not guilty at Worcester Crown Court last Wednesday to 12 charges including indecent assault, sexual assault of a child under 13 and sexual activity with a child.

At a previous hearing at Hereford Magistrates Court, he also pleaded not guilty to possessing indecent images containing still and moving category A,B and C images.

A charge of possessing a paedophile handbook on an electronic device was also denied.

The 43-year-old who had already been remanded in custody was sent back to custody until the trial in November.

Fisher had taught music in primary and secondary schools for the last 20 years.

He also ran his own music school, teaching music to groups and on a one-to-one basis, and had a music shop on Commercial Road in Hereford.