WARREN John McCorriston, the former Queensland tourism executive and resort manager accused of abducting a teenage girl at Lake Macquarie four decades ago, will face a trial in the district court.
The 63-year-old appeared in Newcastle Local Court via video link from Shortland Correctional Centre on Wednesday, when Magistrate Robert Stone set an arraignment date of September 19.
"I understand, Your Honour," McCorriston said after the path forward was explained to him.
He has been charged over the cold case alleged abduction and assault of a 16-year-old girl at Gateshead in early 1980.
He is facing one count each of forcible abduction "to carnally know", assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and detaining for advantage and causing serious injury to a victim.
McCorriston did not formally enter any pleas before magistrate Stone on Wednesday, but the committal for trial means he will deny the charges when he is arraigned in the higher court next month.
McCorriston was arrested in January as part of Strike Force Arapaima, which was launched in 2019 to re-investigate the unsolved disappearances and suspected murders of Lake Macquarie teenagers Robyn Hickie, and Amanda Robinson in 1979, and Gordana Kotevski in 1994.
No one has been charged over those missing girls.
Police received new information about the abduction of another girl, taken from Gateshead in the 1980s, as they re-examined the Robyn Hickie, Amanda Robinson, and Gordana Kotevski cases.
