A 54-year old man has gone on trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court facing 28 charges of a sexual nature, allegedly involving 15 girls and four women.

Peregrine Burgess, from Peebles, pled not guilty to all the charges yesterday.

The trial is expected to last four weeks.

The offences are said to have occurred between January 2006 and May 2017.

The girls were aged between seven and 15 years and it is claimed the offences occurred in East Lothian, the Borders and Fife, on walks and beach outings, and others relating to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, where Burgess was a Supervisor.

The offences against the women and three other girls, are said to have happened in the Galashiels Health Centre, the Borders General Hospital in Melrose and Hay Lodge Medical Centre, Peebles, where Burgess worked as a dietician.