AN Olympic diving star and former Poole gym owner appeared before Bournemouth magistrates on Wednesday to face new child abuse charges.

Brian Phelps was charged with six counts of indecently assaulting a girl under 14 and one count of gross indecency between 1975 and 1980.

In January the former high-diving champion returned from his retirement home in France to face 43 charges including rape, indecent assault, gross indecency and attempted rape dating back to between 1976 and 1986.

At the hearing the 63-year-old spoke only to confirm his details. As he was taken to the cells he nodded and smiled to two women in the public gallery.

The father of two had been living in Le Val Besnot, France, but is currently in HMP Dorchester. His next court appearance will be at Bournemouth Crown Court on March 25.

Mr Phelps won six gold medals, two silver and one bronze at the Olympic, Commonwealth and European Games, and returned from his retirement home to face the allegations.

He was 22 times national champion, won Bronze at the 1960 Rome Olympics, went on to become a TV commentator and was a finalist on the BBC show Superstars in 1978.

Just hours before yesterday's court appearance Phelps' brother John Phelps, 55, from Poole, was charged with two rapes and nine indecent assaults.

The "historical" child sex abuse charges relate to four alleged victims between 1978 and 1993. The father-of-two, who also ran a gym in Poole, was released on bail. He will appear before Bournemouth magistrates on February 22.