A 59-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with two sexual assaults and three kidnaps that happened in Harpenden over 20 years ago.

Alec Housden, aged 59, of Kingsbury Gardens in Dunstable was arrested at his home address at 7am yesterday morning (Wednesday, March 22) on suspicion of two sexual assaults and two kidnaps of females and a further kidnap.

He was charged with the offences and appeared at Hatfield Remand Court this afternoon.

He has been remanded into custody and is due to appear at St Albans Crown Court on April 24.

He is charged with indecent assault on a female and kidnap on Sunday, April 7, 2002 in Piggottshill Lane, Harpenden; indecent assault on a female and kidnap on Wednesday, June 19 2002 in the same location and kidnap on Wednesday, March 17, 2004.