A 25-year-old Pembroke man will be tried on November 21 for four counts of sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl in 2003.

The defendant cannot be named in case it reveals the identity of the victim.

The 25-year-old pleaded not guilty in Magistrates? Court yesterday to sexually assaulting a seven-year-old on or about June 29, 2003 to September 30, 2003.

He also denied sexually exploiting a young person by touching for a sexual purpose, directly or indirectly, with a part of his body or with an object, any part of the body of a young person between the same dates.

On a summary conviction, he could be sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count.

However, his lawyer Richard Horseman argued yesterday that the first three charges on the indictment appeared to be identical and should be removed.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner agreed with Mr. Horseman and said before the matter could proceed two of the charges had to be dropped.

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister said the first three charges related to separate acts and the charges will be amended before the trial.

?I don?t know what you are alleging, the charges have identical dates, alleging the identical thing. You can?t allege between two dates that something is happening without specification,? Mr. Warner said. ?On the face of the evidence, they are duplicitous.?

The prosecutor did not object to bail and the 25-year-old was granted bail of $5,000 with one surety to appear for trial.