A FORMER school rugby coach has denied sexually assaulting a teenage boy.

Former Sidcot School teacher Keith Ruby faces 20 charges of sexually assaulting the teenager, who was aged 12-14, one older charge of indecent assault, and 13 counts of making indecent photographs of a child.

The 35-year-old appeared at Taunton Crown Court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges.

The charges include two counts of engaging in a sexual activity with a child aged under 13, two counts of sexually assaulting a child aged under 13, 11 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child aged under 16 and five counts of engaging in penetrative sex with a child aged under 16.

Those 20 charges are all alleged to have been carried out against the same boy between December 31, 2004 and December 31, 2007.

He also faces one charge of indecent assault on a male, which is alleged to have happened between April 19, 1988 and April 21, 1993.

He has also been charged with 13 counts of making 59 indecent images of children between January 1, 2008 and March 19, 2011.

The images are alleged to be categories one, two and four, with category four the second most serious classification of indecent image.

Wearing a blue-grey suit, checked shirt and yellow tie, he spoke only to deny each of the charges as they were put to him by the court clerk.

Ruby, of Biddisham Lane, Biddisham, was released on conditional bail, with a trial date scheduled for November 26.

Another hearing will be held later this year to determine whether Mr Ruby will face trial for the image charges at the same time as the other allegations.

Under the conditions of his bail, he must not have unsupervised contact with children under 16, no contact with any of his alleged victims and report to Burnham Police Station once a week.

In addition, he must not apply for a passport or leave the country.