A man has been charged with 14 counts of sexual assault alleged to have taken place in Hitchin during the 1980s.

Makhan Singh Mauji, 70, now lives in Northampton and has been charged in relation to offences that are alleged to have taken place at a number of locations in Hitchin, including at a Gurdwara.

He has been charged with one count of attempted rape, two counts of gross indecency, and eleven counts of indecent assault following an investigation by Hertfordshire police detectives. The alleged assaults took place between July 1983 and August 1987.

Singh Mauji was a travelling Granthi, a ceremonial religious individual whose role was to read the Guru Granth Sahib - the holy book of Sikhism - in Gurdwaras, meeting places for Sikhs to assemble and worship.

He also has had links to a number of other Gurdwaras including in Northampton, Bedford and Milton Keynes.

Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins, of Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Major Crime Unit, said: “I am grateful for the level of bravery these women have shown when reporting these incidents.

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“If you want to report anything relating to this case, please do so via the Major Incident Portal.

“Anyone wishing to report a sexual assault will always be treated sensitively and with respect by us.

"We recognise how difficult it must be but please be assured we have specially trained officers who can help you every step of the way.”

Information can be reported online at herts.police.uk/report, via web chat at herts.police.uk/contact, or by calling 101.

You can also report information anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.

Anyone in Hertfordshire who has experienced sexual abuse or sexual violence can contact the Herts Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for practical and emotional support.

The centre can arrange face-to-face support, sexual health referrals, and provide forensic medical examinations for those who want them.

This service is open to everyone – men, women and young people, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred.

To contact Herts SARC, you can call their 24/7 helpline on 0808 178 4448, email them at herts.sarc@nhs.net, or visit their website.