• Ormond was a coach in Newcastle United’s youth set-up • Ormond to appear at Newcastle magistrates court on 9 June

George Ormond, a former coach in Newcastle United’s youth set-up, has been charged with a string of serious sexual assaults allegedly involving young footballers in the north-east over a 25-year period.

Ormond, affiliated to Newcastle United’s youth teams in the mid-1990s, will face 27 counts of indecent assault when he appears at the city’s magistrates court for an initial hearing on 9 June.

The 61-year-old will also face one charge of indecency with a child and another of buggery, with all the alleged offences taking place from 1973 to 1998. Ormond, who was a coach at the Montagu and North Fenham boys’ football club, which fed players to Newcastle, is facing allegations from 17 complainants, all of whom are male.

“In April the Crown Prosecution Service received a file from Northumbria police relating to allegations of non-recent sexual abuse,” it read. “Following consideration of the file, charges have been authorised against former football coach George Ormond in relation to 29 counts.”

Assistant Chief Constable Darren Best said: “We have had a dedicated team investigating allegations of non-recent child abuse within the sporting community since December last year.

“Our specially trained officers have been supporting those who have taken the hugely brave step of speaking to us. Our investigations are continuing and we urge anyone who may have been a victim of abuse or has any information about suspected abuse within any sporting community to come forward and report it to us.”