A man is to face trial at Dundee accused of abducting and imprisoning six women and assaulting five of them at various addresses during a 12-year spell.
Frank de Gernier, 39, a prisoner at Perth, appeared in court on Monday to deny the charges of holding the women against their will between 2001 and 2013 and submitting five of them to acts of violence.
Solicitor John Kydd requested the case be continued for one week for final preparations ahead of a trial later this month.
Sheriff George Way remanded de Gernier in custody to appear in court again next Monday.
He is accused of, between November 2001 and February 2002, abducting a woman and holding her against her will at an address in Dundee, repeatedly punching and kicking her, stamping on her, knocking her unconscious, pulling her down a flight of stairs and forcing her head against a bath.
He is also alleged to have abducted another woman between May 2002 and December 2005 at the same address, locking her in and refusing to let her leave and on occasions between June 2004 and July 2005 at various addresses, abducting another woman, locking her in and refusing to let her escape before beating her violently.
He also denies that between October 2006 and February 2007 he abducted a woman and punched and slapped her, placed a crow bar against her neck and restricted her breathing.
De Gernier also denies abducting a woman between November 2009 and November 30 last year, punching and kicking her and locking her in.
He is also alleged to have abducted another woman between January 2010 and December 2012 at another address in Dundee, detaining her against her will and repeatedly punching her and dragging her by the hair.