An English Football League assistant referee, who previously officiated in EFL and FA Cup matches, has been charged with 16 child sex offences, including sexual activity with a child. Gareth Viccars, 46, will stand trial in September in London and has been remanded in custody.

In February, Viccars appeared at Willesden Magistrates Court where he was charged with penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15. However, that charge now forms part of the current 16 against him. The trial is scheduled to take place at Snaresbrook Crown Court, east London, and will begin later this year on September 22.

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “I can confirm Gareth Viccars has been charged with the following offences: 12 counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, one count of meeting a child following sexual grooming, [and] one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.”

The EFL official, who had also been selected for FA Cup and League Cup matches since 2018, was last appointed for a game in March 2024. According to data from Transfermarkt, he has featured as part of the team of officials in 145 fixtures.

Viccars was used as an assistant or fourth official in League One and League Two games during the 2023-24 campaign, as well as FA Cup ties in the earlier rounds of the competition and Football League Trophy games.

He also worked as a referee to oversee Premier League 2 matches, which predominantly feature players under the age of 21, and that is not uncommon for officials with his experience. He was suspended from his role in August of last year.

Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL), which is owned by the Premier League, Football League and the Football Association and organises the officials for the top five tiers of the English game, confirmed in February that Viccars had been suspended ‘immediately’ when the allegations were made.

A PGMOL spokesperson said: “As soon as the allegations came to light, Mr Viccars was immediately suspended. As the matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, we are not in a position to comment any further.”