Innocents: 

How Justice Failed Stefan Kiszko and Lesley Molseed

 Jonathan Rose (Author), Steve Panter (Author), Trevor Wilkinson (Author)
Publisher: Fourth Estate, London, 1997 - ISBN: 1857024028 (Out of Print)

In 1975 eleven-year-old Lesley Molseed was abducted and stabbed to death on a Pennine moor, her killer having ejaculated over her body. Stefan Kiszko confessed to her murder and spent 16 years in jail. At the time no positive forensic evidence was offered. He was released in 1991 when the Law Lords declared he could not have been the killer.

(Note: Raymond Hewlett is named in this book as the prime suspect in the murder of Lesley Molseed.)

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Man denies Molseed murder

20 April 2007
Halifax Evening Courier

A man has denied murdering schoolgirl Lesley Molseed 32 years ago in a brutal sexually motivated stabbing. Ronald Castree, 53, yesterday pleaded not guilty at Bradford Crown Court to the murder committed between October 4 and October 9, 1975.

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Lawyer's case link

16 November 2006
The Sun

The barrister representing a man accused of the murder of schoolgirl Lesley Molseed wrote a book about the case in 1998. Jonathan Rose is author of the 1998 book Innocents, which focused on the murder of 11-year-old Lesley 31 years ago and the wrongful imprisonment of Stefan Kiszko. Mr Kiszko spent 16 years in prison before being released in 1992. He died a year later. Accused Ronald Castree, 53, of Oldham, Manchester, appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday. He was remanded in custody.

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Molseed murder: accused in court

15 November 2006
Halifax Evening Courier
Elaine Jinks

The man accused of murdering schoolgirl Lesley Molseed 31 years ago has appeared before a judge at Bradford Crown Court. Ronald Castree, 53, who was flanked by two security guards spoke only once to confirm his name and remained impassive throughout the 15 minute hearing. The market trader of Brandon Crescent, Shaw, Oldham, was arrested at his home on November 3 and charged with Lesley's murder three days later as new evidence came to light in the historic case.

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Arrest in 30-year-old murde

5 November 2006
Press Association
Paul Watson

A 53-year-old man has today been arrested on suspicion of the brutal murder of a schoolgirl who disappeared while running an errand for her mother more than 30 years ago.

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

TV-call hope in murder of girl

18 September 1999
Yorkshire Post
Joanne Ginley

The family of murdered schoolgirl Lesley Molseed is hoping an emotional call to a TV programme might help to catch her killer. The caller to ITV's This Morning show from Lancashire claimed to have been sexually abused by her own father more than 20 years ago. She said he had been a suspect in the murder of a schoolgirl. And she gave other information which Lesley's family say fits the description of a man they believe killed the 11-year-old girl they refer to as "Our Lel", whose battered body was found in a lay-by at Ripponden in 1975. Yesterday her sister, Julie Anderson, who has seen a tape of the programme which went out on Tuesday, said: "She said everything that was crucial, everything that pointed to him."

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Mystery woman in TV phone clue to murder

18 September 1999
Manchester Evening News
Neal Snowdon

The family of a girl murdered in 1975 whose killer has never been brought to justice are hoping a call to a TV programme could provide a vital breakthrough. Lesley Molseed, 11, was killed after leaving her home on Rochdale's Turf Hill estate to buy bread for her mother. She was found murdered, stabbed and sexually assaulted at Rishworth Moor, near Oldham. Now a woman calling herself `Julie from Lancashire' has agreed to speak to police after taking part in a phone-in on ITV's This Morning programme and speaking to presenter Judy Finnegan. Lesley's family believe details mentioned by the woman about her father in the two-minute call could lead detectives to the murderer.

Continue Reading... Labels: Crown Prosecution Service, DNA, FSS, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Stefan's aunt hails new move to bring suspect to justice

22 March 1999
Manchester Evening News
Neal Snowdon

The aunt of Stefan Kiszko - jailed for a child-killing he did not commit - has welcomed fresh attempts to bring the chief suspect to justice. The M.E.N. exclusively reported on Friday how relatives of 11-year-old victim Lesley Molseed have asked Manchester lawyers to bring a private prosecution against convicted paedophile Raymond Hewlett over the 1975 murder.

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, Crown Prosecution Service, DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Agony never ended after little girl was murdered

19 March 1999
Manchester Evening News
Neal Snowdon and Steve Panter
Torment of two tragic families for 24 years

The murder of Lesley Molseed was a tragedy which has devastated the lives of two families for 24 years. Lesley's family has faced unimaginable suffering since her body was found on moorland on October 8, 1975. Their agony has never ended, because they know that Lesley's brutal murderer remains free.

Parallel to the Molseeds' torment was that of Stefan Kiszko and his family. He was innocent, but served 16 years in different jails, while his courageous mother Charlotte fought a tireless campaign to prove he was not a murderer. Stefan always resisted invitations to make a later confession - the only way he could ever get a release date, unless he was proved innocent.

Continue Reading... Labels: Crown Prosecution Service, DNA, FSS, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Too late for Stefan, but lawyers now seek private prosecution

19 March 1999
Manchester Evening News
Neal Snowdon

A man suspected of murdering schoolgirl Lesley Molseed 24 years ago could face a sensational murder trial in a private prosecution brought by her family. Relatives of 11-year-old Lesley have asked Manchester lawyers to bring the action against Raymond Hewlett, a convicted paedophile.

Continue Reading... Labels: Crown Prosecution Service, DNA, FSS, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Murder crusade takes to streets

13 November 1997
Yorkshire Post
Joanne Ginley

The family of murdered schoolgirl Lesley Molseed took their crusade to find the man they have named their prime suspect onto the streets of Todmorden yesterday. They handed out leaflets bearing the name of the man they claim killed the 11-year-old girl they refer to as "Our Lel" 22 years ago. Lesley's body was found in a lay-by at Ripponden, near Halifax, in October 1975.

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

An American nightmare in Yorkshire

3 November 1997
The Guardian

"It couldn't happen here," was the unanimous reaction of the British legal establishment to the Louise Woodward affair. Everyone seems to agree that the young woman's wrongful conviction was the fault of an alien system which exposes itself to the media and relies far too heavily on the judgment of irrational, vulgar juries, uncontrolled by rational well-bred judges.

While this view was being ceaselessly proclaimed, hardly anyone noticed the publication of another book on another monstrous injustice perpetrated by good old British bobbies, by good old British scientists and good old British courts, where juries are firmly directed by good old British judges and where the media and the public are kept in good old British ignorance of the important facts.

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Paedophile flees as town's parents learn of his past

29 October 1997
The Scotsman
John Ross and John Smith

A convicted paedophile was in at a secret location in Scotland last night, after fleeing from Forres in Moray after his past was made public. Parents were incensed yesterday to discover the 52-year-old, originally from the Blackpool area and said to be a danger to young girls, had been living in Forres for two weeks. The man, who was convicted of a series of offences against young girls, is also said to be a prime suspect in the unsolved murder of 11-year-old Lesley Molseed in Yorkshire in 1975. Neither police nor council officials were officially told of his presence in Forres, although Grampian Police became aware he was living locally through its own intelligence network.

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Grampian Police, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Mother demands murder inquiry

18 October 1997
The Herald


Lesley Molseed

The mother of murdered schoolgirl Lesley Molseed yesterday called on Home Secretary Jack Straw to open a new inquiry into her daughter's death.  Ms April Garrett spoke out for the first time in 22 years following the publication of a book which names a 52-year-old convicted paedophile as the killer. (Blogger note: refers to Raymond Hewlett)

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Mother of murdered girl believes daughter's killer is living in Cork

18 October 1997
Irish Times
Catherine Cleary

The mother of a schoolgirl murdered in Britain 22 years ago has said she believes her daughter's killer is living in Ireland. Lesley Molseed (11) was sexually assaulted and stabbed 12 times in October 1975. Her body was found in West Yorkshire three days after she went missing when she went to buy a loaf of bread.

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Plea over Lesley's murder

18 October 1997
Yorkshire Post
Nicola Megson
Schoolgirl's mother seeks inquiry after book 'names real killer' in false jailing case

The mother of murdered schoolgirl Lesley Molseed yesterday called on Home Secretary Jack Straw to open a new inquiry into her daughter's death. April Garrett spoke out for the first time in 22 years following the publication of a book which names a convicted paedophile aged 52 as the killer. (Blogger note: refers to Raymond Hewlett)  Eleven-year-old Lesley's body was found in a lay-by at Ripponden, near Halifax, in October 1975.

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

New evidence on child murder

6 October 1997
Yorkshire Post
Andrew Robinson
Police to examine claims made in book on killing of Lesley Molseed 22 years ago

Police are to examine new evidence relating to the unsolved murder of schoolgirl Lesley Molseed 22 years ago, for which an innocent man was jailed. A new book claims to name a prime suspect for the murder of the 11-year-old Rochdale girl, whose stabbed body was found on moorland above Ripponden, near Halifax, in October 1975.  (Blogger note: refers to Raymond Hewlett)

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, Crown Prosecution Service, DNA, FSS, Ireland, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police

Girl's lies about her sex pervert boyfriend

4 October 1997
Manchester Evening News

A girl's lies about her sex pervert boyfriend contributed to a massive injustice which sent Stefan Kiszko to jail for a murder he did not commit. She has admitted that when she was 15 she gave a false alibi on the orders of her 30-year-old married lover who was suspected of the child murder.

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Jonathan Rose, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Rosalee Dolan, Rosalie Dolan, Stefan Kiszko, Steve Panter, Trevor Wilkinson, West Yorkshire Police