Beverley Castree, 52, told Bradford Crown Court that one evening in 1976, nine months after Lesley's murder, her husband Ronald Castree came home and told her: "You can divorce me now."

Speaking by video-link from another part of the court, Mrs Castree said: "I said, 'Why would I want to do that?'

"He said, 'The police have had me in. I'm in trouble. I have interfered with a young girl.'

"I never knew the full details of that incident until years later."

Mrs Castree attended magistrates court with her husband, who pleaded guilty to indecent assault and gross indecency.

He admitted picking up a nine-year-old girl with learning difficulties as she played near her home in Rochdale, and taking her to a derelict building, where he sexually assaulted her.

Mrs Castree told the court she married Castree in 1973, when she was 18 and he was nearly 20. She said he had been unfaithful throughout their marriage They divorced in 1999.

She told the jury her husband was a part time taxi driver at the time of Lesley's disappearance from Rochdale in October 1975.

The 11-year-old's body was found on moorland near Ripponden. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed 12 times.

Mrs Castree said she had given birth to her first child Jason about a fortnight before Lesley was found. Her husband knew he was not Jason's father, but the couple stayed together.

When she was admitted to hospital with deep vein thrombosis on October 3, she took her baby with her and remained in hospital until Thursday, October 9, leaving Castree alone in the family home on Oldham Road.

Lesley went missing on Sunday, October 5. Mrs Castree said her husband's work meant he often did not return home until 5am.

Castree denies murder. The case continues today.

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