A preliminary hearing for a man accused of sexually assaulting and photographing young boys is set to begin today in Dartmouth.

David James Leblanc, 47, is facing seven charges in the trial, including sexual assault and sexual interference.

LeBlanc is also charged with making child pornography and single counts of accessing, possessing and distributing child pornography.

Leblanc was arrested in December 2010 after police seized computer equipment and digital storage devices from an apartment in Dartmouth.

The preliminary hearing will determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.

Leblanc is also at the centre of a separate, high-profile teen confinement and sexual assault case in Lunenburg County and is facing seven charges in relation to those allegations.