HERE are some of the highlights of the crown court stories that have featured in the Worcester News this week.

A PENSIONER has denied a string of historic sexual offences including child rapes dating back to the early 1970s and early 1980s.

Roger Wickett, aged 71, denied all 18 counts on the indictment following alleged historic sexual offences in Broadway when he appeared before judge Jim Tindal at Worcester Crown Court on July 11.

A trial date has been set for April 6 next year. Wickett was granted unconditional bail in the meantime.

A SEX offender pretended to be a young boy in a failed bid to trick a 10-year-old girl into sending him naked pictures of herself on Instagram.

Lukas O’Neill, 30, was given a suspended prison sentence at Worcester Crown Court after admitting two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The girls were 10 and 14-years-old at the time.

A sexual harm prevention order was made for five years and O’Neill must sign the sex offender register for 10 years and pay £500 costs.

A METAL bar was used to bludgeon a man about the head during a sustained attack at a Worcester traveller site which left the victim with a fractured skull.

Attackers John Pacer Smith, 30, and Jim Riley, 26, Janes admitted their role in the assault when the grievous bodily harm charge was put to them yesterday, bringing to an early end what would have been a three week trial at Worcester Crown Court.

A BURGLAR who used a pickaxe to smash his way into a Worcester home while the owners were still inside has been jailed.

Michael Repton, 33, admitted three house burglaries, handling stolen goods, three frauds, possession of a controlled drug of class A (heroin) and possession of a controlled article for use in a fraud.

He has been jailed him for three years.

A 23-YEAR-OLD man has admitted stealing Jaguar Land Rover car parts but the value of the stolen items is in dispute.

Sheldon Heppel of School Drive, Bromsgrove admitted stealing parts from JLR Parts UK Ltd in Stoke Prior when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court.

Heppel was granted unconditional bail.