Chris Denning, pictured, one of the founding DJs of BBC Radio One, has today denied sexually abusing a teenage boy between 1979 and 1981
One of the founding DJs of BBC Radio One today denied sexually abusing an underage boy.
Chris Denning, 76, is said to have indecently assaulted a 14-year-old male on multiple occasions between March 1979 and March 1981.
He also took an indecent photo of the youth during the same period, it is alleged.
His co-accused, Graham Soper, 58, is said to have been the first to abuse the child, allegedly committing dozens of sex assaults at his home over a three-year period up until 1979 beginning when the youngster was just 11.
Prosecutors allege he passed the boy on to be molested by another man, who was also charged but has since committed suicide, before the victim was further passed on to Denning.
The pair appeared in the dock at Southwark Crown Court today where they were told a trial has been fixed for June 11 next year.
Denning denied two indecent assaults and one offence of taking indecent images of a child.
Soper entered not guilty pleas to four counts of indecent assaults, encompassing at least 60 instances of abuse, and one count of indecency with the same child.
Judge Stephen Robbin said: ‘This matter is now fixed for trial on June 11, 2018, with a time estimate of seven days.
‘In the interim, both defendants remain on bail as before.’
Denning, of Collingwood Road, Basildon, Essex, denies two counts of indecent assault and one of taking indecent photos of a child and remains on technical unconditional bail.
The former DJ left his London grammar school aged 15 and began his radio career at Radio Moscow before taking up posts on Radio Luxembourg and Radio London.
By 1965 he was working as an announcer on BBC2 and he was the first voice when the TV channel started broadcasting.
Denning, pictured during his DJ days, worked alongside household names including Terry Wogan and Tony Blackburn in the 1960s
Denning was among a team of BBC disc jockeys who launched Radio 1 in the 1960s.
He was one of the first voices of the world-famous station and worked alongside household names including Tony Blackburn, Kenny Everett, Terry Wogan and John Peel.
The DJ also worked for record label Decca for two years and helped propel Gary Glitter and the Bay City Rollers to stardom.
Soper, of Livingston Road, Caterham, denies four counts of indecent assault and one of indecency with a child and was bailed.
They will both return to Southwark Crown Court for trial on June 11 next year.
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