A 72-year-old Palmerston man faces court charged with multiple sexual offences against children after a mother and her two daughters accused the man, known to them through their religious group, of sexual assault against the girls.

He faces four counts of indecency with a young person (under 16 years), one count of act of indecency with a young person (under 10 years) and two counts of assault.

Police say the alleged offending occurred in 2022 and 2023 and arrested and charged the man following his arrest at home and charging yesterday (January 27) by officers from the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team.