A FORMER south-west man accused of nine historical sex offences has been found guilty of four charges.
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John Frederick Sharples, 67, previously of Portland, Warrnambool, Geelong district, Bribie Island in Queensland and now of West Ridge Road, Penguin in Tasmania, had pleaded not guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court.
After a contested hearing this week, magistrate John Lesser found four of the charges proven, while the rest were dismissed.
The two complainants were under 16 years old at the time of the alleged offending, which involved touching and fondling.
Sharples previously appeared in the Warrnambool County Court on charges relating to the same evidence but the charges were not resolved and were then sent back to the magistrates court for determination.
Mr Lesser is expected to hear a plea in the Geelong Magistrates Court on February 1 next year before he sentences Sharples.
Sharples was released on bail until the plea hearing with the conditions he live in Tasmania, not attend points of international departure, surrender his passport and not contact the victims.
