By . James Rush and David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 03:34 EST, 14 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:54 EST, 14 May 2013 . Coronation Street actor Bill Roache arrives at Preston Magistrates' Court where he is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl . The waiting photographers, chauffeur-driven black Mercedes and clutch of eager fans suggested a star was on the way. And when Bill Roache arrived at court yesterday, it seemed he was determined to keep playing the part of a celebrity. The Coronation Street actor, who was . flanked by two minders, even signed a few autographs outside court room . number three at Preston magistrates court. But once inside the wood-panelled room, Roache, 81, was simply the accused. He sat behind the lawyers until his case, the first on the morning list, was called. It was the first time he has appeared in court since being charged earlier this month with raping a 15-year-old girl in 1967. When the hearing began, he was told . by a clerk to stand in the dock, from where he confirmed his full name . as William Patrick Roache, his home address in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and . his date of birth as April 25, 1932. He was then allowed to sit as Joanna . White, prosecuting, told the court he was ‘charged with two allegations . of rape which date back to 1967’. Miss White, who did not outline the . details, added: ‘These are matters that can only be dealt with at the . Crown Court. It’s not an early guilty plea matter.’ No plea was entered during yesterday’s . hearing. But in a statement issued earlier this month Roache, who plays . Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, strenuously denied the allegations. Yesterday District Judge Jane Goodwin sent the case to Preston Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on June 10. She granted Roache bail on condition . that he lives at his home or at a relative’s address in London, has no . unsupervised access to anyone under 16 and does not approach two named . witnesses. The 81-year-old, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch, arrived at Preston Magistrates Court today to face two counts of rape against his alleged victim in 1967 . A court artist drawing of Coronation Street actor Bill Roach in Preston Magistrates' Court where he made his first appearance accused of raping a 15-year-old girl . Roache was bailed to appear for a preliminary hearing at Preston Crown Court on June 10 . The judge warned Roache that he risks . being arrested if he breaches any of the conditions. When she asked if . he understood this, he replied: ‘I do understand, yes.’ After the seven-minute hearing Roache . told his solicitor he had struggled to hear the proceedings despite . being only a few feet from the judge. He made no comment  as he walked . to his car outside, despite being besieged camera crews and reporters outside the court. Roache (pictured arriving at Preston Magistrates' Court) was granted conditional bail at the hearing . Roache has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch. In a statement issued earlier this month, he said he was 'astounded and deeply horrified by the extraordinary events' of his arrest and subsequent charging. Roache has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch . He added: 'I strenuously deny the . allegations and will now focus my full attention on fighting to preserve . my innocence in the challenging times ahead. 'I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all those people who have offered me their support and good wishes at this difficult time.' Roache - the world’s longest-serving soap actor - will not appear in the programme until legal proceedings are concluded, ITV said. He collected an award from Guinness World Records in 2010 for his long service in Coronation Street, having joined in 1960 and appeared regularly ever since. Fellow Coronation Street star Michael . Le Vell, who plays mechanic Kevin Webster, is also currently off air . after being charged with 19 sexual offences against a child, including . rape, indecent assault and sexual activity. He denies the charges, which are not linked to Roache. Roache’s marriage to his first wife, Anna, ended in divorce in 1974. His second wife Sara died in 2009. Earlier this year it was revealed he . ended his two-year relationship with TV weathergirl Emma Jesson, 44, so . he could explore a ‘mystic message of love’ linked to his membership of . the Pure Love Movement, a religious group. Bill Roache, pictured following his arrest earlier this month, 'strenuously denied' the allegations after he was charged . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
Actor appeared in court to face two counts of rape against alleged victim .
Was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, on May 1 .
Arrived at Preston Magistrates' Court this morning to face charges .
Bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on June 10 .
By . James Rush and David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 03:34 EST, 14 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:54 EST, 14 May 2013 . Coronation Street actor Bill Roache arrives at Preston Magistrates' Court where he is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl . The waiting photographers, chauffeur-driven black Mercedes and clutch of eager fans suggested a star was on the way. And when Bill Roache arrived at court yesterday, it seemed he was determined to keep playing the part of a celebrity. The Coronation Street actor, who was . flanked by two minders, even signed a few autographs outside court room . number three at Preston magistrates court. But once inside the wood-panelled room, Roache, 81, was simply the accused. He sat behind the lawyers until his case, the first on the morning list, was called. It was the first time he has appeared in court since being charged earlier this month with raping a 15-year-old girl in 1967. When the hearing began, he was told . by a clerk to stand in the dock, from where he confirmed his full name . as William Patrick Roache, his home address in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and . his date of birth as April 25, 1932. He was then allowed to sit as Joanna . White, prosecuting, told the court he was ‘charged with two allegations . of rape which date back to 1967’. Miss White, who did not outline the . details, added: ‘These are matters that can only be dealt with at the . Crown Court. It’s not an early guilty plea matter.’ No plea was entered during yesterday’s . hearing. But in a statement issued earlier this month Roache, who plays . Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, strenuously denied the allegations. Yesterday District Judge Jane Goodwin sent the case to Preston Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on June 10. She granted Roache bail on condition . that he lives at his home or at a relative’s address in London, has no . unsupervised access to anyone under 16 and does not approach two named . witnesses. The 81-year-old, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch, arrived at Preston Magistrates Court today to face two counts of rape against his alleged victim in 1967 . A court artist drawing of Coronation Street actor Bill Roach in Preston Magistrates' Court where he made his first appearance accused of raping a 15-year-old girl . Roache was bailed to appear for a preliminary hearing at Preston Crown Court on June 10 . The judge warned Roache that he risks . being arrested if he breaches any of the conditions. When she asked if . he understood this, he replied: ‘I do understand, yes.’ After the seven-minute hearing Roache . told his solicitor he had struggled to hear the proceedings despite . being only a few feet from the judge. He made no comment  as he walked . to his car outside, despite being besieged camera crews and reporters outside the court. Roache (pictured arriving at Preston Magistrates' Court) was granted conditional bail at the hearing . Roache has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch. In a statement issued earlier this month, he said he was 'astounded and deeply horrified by the extraordinary events' of his arrest and subsequent charging. Roache has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch . He added: 'I strenuously deny the . allegations and will now focus my full attention on fighting to preserve . my innocence in the challenging times ahead. 'I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all those people who have offered me their support and good wishes at this difficult time.' Roache - the world’s longest-serving soap actor - will not appear in the programme until legal proceedings are concluded, ITV said. He collected an award from Guinness World Records in 2010 for his long service in Coronation Street, having joined in 1960 and appeared regularly ever since. Fellow Coronation Street star Michael . Le Vell, who plays mechanic Kevin Webster, is also currently off air . after being charged with 19 sexual offences against a child, including . rape, indecent assault and sexual activity. He denies the charges, which are not linked to Roache. Roache’s marriage to his first wife, Anna, ended in divorce in 1974. His second wife Sara died in 2009. Earlier this year it was revealed he . ended his two-year relationship with TV weathergirl Emma Jesson, 44, so . he could explore a ‘mystic message of love’ linked to his membership of . the Pure Love Movement, a religious group. Bill Roache, pictured following his arrest earlier this month, 'strenuously denied' the allegations after he was charged . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
address in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and . his date of a preliminary hearing on June 10. She granted Magistrates Court today to face two counts of rape against his alleged victim in 1967 . A court for a preliminary hearing at Preston Crown Court