A plea hearing for a Colchester man who was charged with nearly 40 offences following an investigation into child sex abuse has been adjourned until next month.

Before Ipswich Crown Court on Friday was Matthew Clarke, 22, of Delamere Road, Colchester.

He was arrested in November last year after officers from the Essex Police Child Sexual Exploitation Proactive Investigation Team carried out a warrant in Colchester.

Clarke was subsequently charged with sexual assault by penetration, sexual assault, five offences of inciting a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity, ten charges of inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity, three offences of sexual activity with a child, and five offences of causing a child to watch a sexual act.

Clarke is also charged with one offence of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, four offences of engaging in sexual communication with a child, one offence of meeting a child following grooming, six offences of possession of indecent images of children and one offence of blackmail.

Clarke was due to enter pleas to the charges on Friday but the case was adjourned until August 11 after barristers in the case asked for more time.