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Woman tells of sex attack by man accused of Lesley murder
A WOMAN has described being sexually assaulted when she was nine by the man now accused of murdering Lesley Molseed more than 30 years ago.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was giving evidence yesterday at the trial of Ronald Castree at Bradford Crown Court.
She lived in the same area of Rochdale as Lesley when she was growing up, and had learning difficulties like the murdered 11-year-old.
She told the court that she had been abducted by a taxi driver with ginger hair and a bald patch who took her to a derelict house near her home and performed a sex act in front of her.
The jury have already heard that Castree, 54, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl in 1976, nine months after Lesley's body was found on moorland near Ripponden in October 1975. The 11-year-old was last seen alive on Sunday, October 5 while she was on the way to the corner shop to buy bread for her mother.
Nine months after Lesley's disappearance a little girl who lived in the same area as Lesley was abducted by Castree and sexually assaulted.
Yesterday the jury watched a pre-recorded interview with the woman, in which she gave details of her abduction. She said she thought she had been playing "tig" with a friend near her home when a taxi driver got out of his red car and approached them.
The woman said that her friend had managed to escape but the taxi driver had got hold of her and dragged her into the car.
Describing the terrifying ordeal with difficulty, she told how despite her age she had kicked her attacker and shouted at him to take her home.
"We were playing and he got out and he grabbed me and shut the door of the car," she said.
"I shouted 'go away' but he got hold of me and got me in the car.
"I tried opening the door but I think it was locked. I was saying 'I want to go home' sort of in a shout. He said 'no, you're not going'."
She then told how her attacker took her to a derelict house near a park and sexually assaulted her.
The woman said she thought her ordeal had lasted about half an hour.
She added: "I remember some things and some things I don't, but I remember I kicked him and legged it. I remember coming home and crying."
Former taxi driver Castree, who has been dressed in a grey suit, tie, shirt and white trainers throughout the trial, took off his jacket as she gave evidence, and made notes throughout.
The woman said that once she had escaped from the house she made her way home and told her mother about the attack.
The police were called and she was able to point out the taxi driver responsible.
Castree later pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting her and committing an act of gross indecency on a child.
The court has previously heard how Castree, a serial adulterer, went home to his wife just after the attack in 1976 and told her: "You can divorce me now. I've been caught interfering with a little girl."
The court also heard a statement from the woman's friend who was playing with her on the day of the abduction. She said she thought they had been playing a game known as 'Jump the Taxi', which was played by most of the children in the area.
It involved children getting into a taxi, asking to be dropped off at a stranger's house and telling the driver they needed to go in and get money from their parents. They would then escape by running through a back alley or garden.
She said she was still close friends with the sex assault victim and still felt very protective towards her. She described how she felt guilty to this day about what had happened to her nine-year-old friend, although the women never discussed it.
Castree denies Lesley Molseed's murder. The trial continues.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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