A MAN faces a crown court trial accused of a series of assaults on children under the age of 16.

Ian Gore, of Atherton Road, Hindley, allegedly assaulted a child with a hammer and stood on his neck, causing him actual bodily harm.

The 45-year-old is also accused of unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grevious bodily harm on the child.

He faces further charges of assaulting children under the age of 16 and another male.

Foy pleaded not guilty to all 11 of his charges at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

His trial at Bolton Crown Court is set to start on August 16.

Callum Talbot, 19, and Craig Foy, 45, will also be tried there.

Their trials are set to start on Wednesday and August 16 respectively.

Talbot, of Blackberry Drive, Hindley, is accused of unlawfully and maliciously inflicting bodily harm on a male.

Foy, of Sycamore Avenue, Golborne, is accused of stealing £3,500.

Kerry Gallimore, of Chaucer Grove, Atherton, was convicted of a series of shoplifting offences, assaulting a male in the town and causing him actual bodily harm on January 13, dishonestly receiving stolen goods and two counts of failing to appear in court having been released on bail.

The 28-year-old stole food worth £77 from Asda on January 13, £50 of make-up from Boots on June 15 and plants worth £24 and £15 from Tesco on April 18 and May 25 respectively.

All the shoplifting offences were committed in Atherton.

The receiving stolen goods conviction related to a 43-inch smart television.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Gallimore is set to return to Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on July 31.

Thomas Kerr, 19, from Wigan, was committed to detention in a young offenders’ institution for three months after admitting breaching a conditional discharge by punching and kicking a woman in Tyldesley and causing £50 worth of damage to a door.

Martin McGowan, 29, of Water Street, Atherton, was fined £85 and ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 court costs after admitting disorderly behaviour while drunk in the town on July 6.