BBC star & ‘Harry Potter expert’ who wrote books about popular kids’ series is charged with historic child sex offences

A FAMED author and expert on Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings is facing trial after being charged with historic child sex offences.

Colin Duriez, 77 – a professor and commentator who has appeared on the BBC – faces three counts of indecent assault on a girl aged under 16.

Duriez, of Wallingford, Oxon is set to stand trial at Leicester Crown Court in July after being charged with the assaults between 1989 and 1991.

He is a well-known writer and an expert on fantasy literature.

Bearded Duriez has penned books on the Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien and Chronicles of Narnia writer C.S Lewis.

He is also a lecturer and has appeared as a commentator on the BBC’s Worlds of Fantasy series and Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings DVD.

Duriez lives with his second wife – author Cindy Zudys – in Oxfordshire and previously lived in Leicestershire and Keswick, Cumbria.

Leicestershire Police said in a statement: “Colin Duriez has been charged with three counts of sexual assault on a girl under the age of 16 between September 1989 and July 1991.

A spokesperson for Leicester Crown Court added: “I confirm that Colin Duriez is charged with three counts of indecent assault of a girl aged under 16, for trial on July 14.”

Duriez has had a long career writing books and appearing on major TV channels speaking about his work.

His website’s ‘About me’ page, reads: “Colin has contributed to television documentaries including, A Quest for Meaning -- Myth, Imagination & Faith in the Literature of J.R.R. Tolkien & C.S. Lewis.

“He has spoken at a variety of conferences on Tolkien, C. S. Lewis and the Inklings in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Poland, Finland, Britain, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.”

His best-selling books include The Oxford Inklings: Lewis, Tolkien and their circle, the A-Z of C.S Lewis and A Field Guide to Harry Potter.

Duriez, who has worked as a tutor at Lancaster University, also wrote A Field Guide to Narnia.

He is understood to be involved with Christian groups and has focused his studies on Christian authors including Tolkien and C.S Lewis.

Explaining how his love of literature flourished in an interview published on YouTube last year, Duriez said: “It all started when I was at school and we were reading C.S Lewis’ book Mere Christianity.

"It was through him that I came across Tolkien. I went to the University of Istanbul for two years and that’s where I read Lord of the Rings.

“I then wrote an article on Tolkien and that’s where it all started.

“Since then I’ve written a few books on Tolkien and his friend C.S Lewis.”

And talking about his book A Field Guide to Harry Potter, Duriez said: “I am trying to give and all-in-one guide to the Harry Potter books which takes into account all seven books.

“One of the things which first interested me with the JK Rowling stories is the fact that it was children queueing up to buy them as they came out, and telling their friends they must read them.

“I felt there must be something in them very attractive and nourishing and I started to read them myself.”