A 74-year-old man appeared in court after being charged with 25 offences including rape and child cruelty.

Aravindan Balakrishnan, of Latymer Road, Edmonton, appeared at Southwark Crown Court yesterday on the charges that relate to three women between January 1980 and October 2013.

As well as four charges of rape and one of child cruelty, Balakrishnan has also been charged with false imprisonment and 19 counts of indecent assault.

The pensioner was arrested in Lambeth in November 2013 in relation to alleged offences at a house in Brixton.

Mr Balakrishnan has been released on bail until March 4, with a provisional trial date set of July 20.