A MEDITATION guru has been accused of indecently assaulting two young girls.
Buddha Maitreya, whose real name is Koji Takeuchi, is facing three charges of indecent assault.
The first two counts are alleged to have taken place in Brighton in the 1970s and relate to a girl under the age of 14.
The third charge relates to a girl under the age of 16 and is alleged to have taken place in the 1980s in the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court.
He appeared via videolink during a short hearing at Brighton magistrates court on May 16.
His solicitor, Rossalyn Bosworth, told the magistrates the 81-year-old would not be indicating a plea at this stage.
Maitreya has followers around the world, and in 2015 featured on Alan Titchmarsh’s television series Britain’s Best Back Gardens.
The garden had 10,000 visitors a year going to the garden in Nottinghamshire.
The case will now be heard at Lewes Crown Court on June 13.
The victims cannot be identified for legal reasons.
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