Man on trial for murder of Lesley Molseed

Date published: 22/10/2007

A jury has been selected to try a man accused of murdering an 11-year-old girl more than 30 years ago. Ronald Castree of Brandon Crescent, Oldham, is charged with killing Lesley Molseed in 1975.

Lesley left her home in Turf Hill at about noon on Sunday, 5 October, 1975, to buy bread and an air freshener from a local shop for her mother, April Garrett. Her body was found dumped on the moors above Ripponden in West Yorkshire. She had been stabbed 12 times and then sexually assaulted. The brutal killing outraged local people.

Mr Castree, 53, denies murder. The jury of six men and six women will be sworn in at Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday.

Three other people have been selected as spare jurors.

Stefan Kiszko spent 16 years in prison after being wrongly convicted in 1976 for the murder and died soon after his release.

The judge, Mr Justice Openshaw, asked the 15 members of the jury panel if any of them had any connection to Mr Kiszko or his family.

He said: "This is a very important case.

"Mr Castree is accused of a murder which took place more than 30 years ago in 1975."

The judge urged the jury not to look at media reports about the case.