Savile's ex-chauffeur in court today on sex charges

Jimmy Savile's ex-flatmate and chauffeur will appear in court today charged with a series of serious sex offences against girls.

Ray Teret, 72, is accused of 32 offences involving 14 youngsters and one adult, who was 17 at the time of the alleged offence.

The former pirate radio DJ is charged with 15 counts of rape of a female under 16, one count of rape, one count of attempted rape of a female under 16, six counts of indecent assault of a female under 16, three counts of indecent assault of a female under 14 and one count of gross indecency with a child under 13.

Teret, of Woodlands Road, Altrincham, also faces two counts of conspiracy to rape a girl under 16, one count of possession of extreme pornography, one count of possession of prohibited images and one count of possession of an indecent image of a child.

All the offences are said to have taken place in Manchester with the vast majority dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.

Last month Teret appeared at Manchester Magistrates' Court to face the accusations and was granted conditional bail until today.

Greater Manchester Police have stated that the claims against him are not linked to the national inquiry into abuse by disgraced TV presenter Savile.

Two other men will appear alongside Teret at today's preliminary hearing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

William Harper, 65, of Ash Grove, Stretford, is charged with conspiracy to rape a girl under 16 and the attempted rape of a female under the age of 16, and Alan Ledger, 62, of Normans Place, Altrincham, is charged with indecent assault of a female under 16 and aiding and abetting the rape of a female under 16.