A SERVING British army sergeant accused of raping and molesting female recruits as young as 15 must wait more than a year to face trial.
Edwin Mee, 44, of Tavistock Road, Croydon, allegedly targeted 11 victims, aged between 15 and 25, on military bases in Cheam and Croydon.
The Scottish soldier pleaded not guilty at Southwark Crown Court today (February 28) to 17 counts of sexual assault, two counts of rapes and one count of assault by penetration.
Judge Jeffrey Pegden QC fixed the trial for April 7 2015.
Mee, a divorced father of five children, aged between one and 19, is accused of committing the offences between November 1, 2010 and September 30, 2011.
The two charges of rape and assault by penetration all relate to a single complainant on August 23, 2011.
Mee is said to have carried out the assaults while working as a recruitment sergeant and several alleged sex assaults are said to be related to 'inappropriate touching of the buttocks'.
It is also claimed Mee made inappropriate, sleazy comments to a number of the young women.
The alleged offences were initially investigated by the Royal Military Police, before the case was then handed to the Metropolitan Police.
In interview, Mee denied all the allegations.
He is not allowed to make contact directly or indirectly with the women who have made the claims.
In addition he must not contact any female under the age of 18, save for his own children, unless he is in the company of an adult responsible for them.
Mee has been remanded on bail and is expected to return to the court for a pre-trial review on January 30 next year.
