Simon Coyle
Nick Castree is campaigning to give more support to the families of convicted murderers
The son of a man who killed a schoolgirl is urging the police to provide more support to the families of convicted murderers. Nick Castree, from Rawtenstall, is the son of Ronald Castree who kidnapped and murdered Lesley Molseed in 1975.
Nick appeared on a BBC documentary this week looking at how he coped with the fact that his dad was a murderer. Speaking to the Free Press he said he now wants to use his experience to help others who are going through similar situations.
He said: "I would have expected more support and help from the police. There was nothing given to me other than a few leaflets and phone numbers. "GPs are not suggesting them to the services or this help is just not available and a lot of people end up taking their own lives."
The Inside Out documentary, which was shown on Monday night, was filmed over the last five months. In it Nick went to London to meet the family of another convicted murderer to speak to them about how they coped.
He also admitted on the programme that he was close to killing himself after he found out that his dad had been charged with the murder of Lesley. Nick added: "I have received various emails from people who are suffering from similar situations to myself. It is happening out there. "I have also been on the other side and spoken to the victims and they are also not getting the support from the police. "How are people expected to deal with these horrific things?"
Nick is eventually hoping to raise the issue in Parliament but needs more support first. "I think the police should be providing a number of counselling services," he added. "There should be something set up by the police, not just family liaison and we need the government to say they will put the money in there. "I am currently writing a book so people can learn something from the horrific things I have gone through. "If it will only help a handful of people then it will have been worth it."
Lesley Molseed went missing in October 1975; she was found dead having been stabbed 12 times and sexually assaulted. But former taxi driver Castree, of Shaw, Oldham, was able to live the life of a free man for more than 30 years after "gentle giant" Stefan Kiszko was wrongly convicted of the murder.
He served 16 years in jail before being freed on appeal in 1992; he died, aged 41, in December 1993. Castree, found guilty after a 12-day trial at Bradford Crown Court, is to serve a minimum of 30 years for Lesley’s murder.
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