DNA proof traps real killer after 32 years

15 November 2007  The New Paper He lived like a free man for 32 years. He kept quiet as an innocent man was sent to jail for his horrendous crime. But, on Monday, justice was finally served on UK comic-book dealer Ronald Castree, 54, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting and killing an 11-year-old girl, Lesley Molseed, in 1975. His DNA samples matched the semen stains found in Lesley's underwear. Judge Openshaw,...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Max McLean, paedophiles, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

Police in the dock

14 November 2007 Mirror Sue Carroll In 1975, when 11-year-old Lesley Molseed was stabbed to death and her body dumped on a remote moor, the police approach to suspects was, to say the least, robust. Think of DCI Gene Hunt in 70s-style TV cop show Life On Mars and his determination to secure a conviction at any cost. We must assume it was this attitude which led to an innocent man, Stefan Kiszko, serving 16 years for a crime he...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

Starting the hunt all over again

14 November 2007  Rochdale Observer The day after Stefan Kiszko’s acquittal, West Yorkshire police reopened the investigation into Lesley Molseed’s murder. A murder incident room manned by 15 detectives was set up at Bradford police station and fresh information about possible suspects had already been sifted throug...

Continue Reading... Labels: Lesley Molseed, Rochdale, Stefan Kiszko, Trevor Wilkinson

Unlocking the mysteries of a trail gone cold

14 November 2007 Rochdale Observer Cracking a cold case first thrust into the public eye over three decades ago was naturally a difficult task for police investigating Lesley Molseed’s killing. After all, they would have to have concrete evidence against the real killer, particularly in a case described as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in UK history. Fortunately the West Yorkshire Police team had the groundbreaking...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Max McLean, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko

Silent clue that finally made its voice heard

14 November 2007 Rochdale Observer A small piece of sticky tape proved to be the silent clue which waited for science to catch up and allow it to speak. The tape, tucked inside half a brown envelope, contained samples taken from Lesley’s clothing. In 1975 forensic scientist Peter Guise had wrapped it around a wallpaper seam roller and rolled it over the inside and outside of Lesley’s underwear. At the time he was looking for...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko

Child abuser wrongly thought to be killer

14 November 2007 Rochdale Observer Paedophile Raymond Hewlett was the man many wrongly believed had killed Lesley Molseed. The 30-year-old from Todmorden was married, but having an affair with a 15-year-old at the time of the murder. A day after Lesley’s body was found, he fled to Ireland with the teenager, telling her they had to avoid the police. Three years earlier, in September 1972, he had abducted a 12-year-old girl...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale

DNA match ruled out paedophile who was once prime suspect for murder

13 November 2007 Yorkshire Post Ronald Castree's barrister claimed his client was not Lesley Molseed's killer, and even named the man who "probably" murdered her - a paedophile called Raymond Hewlett. Nobody knows where Hewlett is currently - he was last seen in Spain many years ago and is even now thought to be living somewhere in continental Europe - but the reality is that despite once being the prime suspect in the case,...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Ireland, Lesley Molseed, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Two faced charges of perverting course of justice

13 November 2007 Yorkshire Post The retired forensic scientist and senior police officer faced being prosecuted for perverting the course of justice over Stefan Kiszko's conviction. Appeal court judges were told that the evidence that Stefan Kiszko could not have been responsible for the semen stains found on Lesley Molseed's body was available at the time of the trial - but was never disclosed to the defence....

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Timeline Molseed case - Manchester Evening News

October 5, 1975: Lesley Molseed, 11, disappears while running an errand for her 13 November 2007 Manchester Evening News Timelin...

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, Crown Prosecution Service, Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Girl's killer jailed, 32 years after she was murdered

13 November 2007 The Guardian Martin Wainwright Comic dealer told he must serve at least 30 years DNA evidence cleared wrongly jailed tax clerk A dealer in children's comics was jailed for life yesterday for the frenzied murder of schoolgirl Lesley Molseed on Yorkshire moorland 32 years ago. Ronald Castree, 54, a father of two, was condemned by a judge for destroying a second innocent life after staying silent as a tax clerk,...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, Max McLean, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

A small piece of sticky tape proved to be the silent clue

13 November 2007 Manchester Evening News A small piece of sticky tape proved to be the silent clue which waited for science to catch up and allow it to speak. The tape, tucked inside half a brown envelope, contained samples taken from Lesley's clothin...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, Raymond Hewlett, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko

Conviction too late for victim of 'worst miscarriage of justice of all time

13 November 2007 The Times Russell Jenkins The family of Stefan Kiszko said last night that they hoped Ronald Castree "rots in Hell" for ruining the lives of two families. Ann Kiszko, the aunt of the former Inland Revenue tax clerk, is one of the few surviving members of the Ukrainian clan who came to work in the cotton mills of Rochdale after the Second World War. She always knew that Stefan, a lumbering giant of a man whose...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

Justice ..32 yrs late

13 November 2007 Mirror Paul Byrne and Patrick Mulchrone EXCLUSIVE Child sex fiend who murdered Lesley gets life in jail Child sex killer Ron Castree who let an innocent man serve 16 years for his crime was told yesterday he would probably die in jail. The kinky comic book dealer was finally convicted of stabbing to death Lesley Molseed, 11, 32 years after he dumped her body on moorland. Lesley's family was jubilant. Mum April...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Max McLean, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

Luck runs out for predator who boasted of exploits

13 November 2007 The Times Russell Jenkins While an innocent man languished in jail for the murder of Lesley Molseed her real killer ran a business selling American superhero comics. When it was finally conceded that Stefan Kiszko could not have murdered the child, the real killer was posing in a Batman baseball cap and telling one national newspaper that "the timeless appeal of the comic is escapism"....

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

No prosecutions for Molseed police

13 November 2007 Yorkshire Evening Post IN the aftermath of the clearing of Stefan Kiszko a retired top West Yorkshire detective and a senior Harrogate forensic scientist faced charges of perverting the course of justice.  But the prosecutions of former Det Supt Dick Holland - who later in his career was deputy head of the Yorkshire Ripper inquiry - and Ronald Outteridge did not proceed and reporting of their 1995 court...

Continue Reading... Labels: Crown Prosecution Service, Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

I hope the monster rots in Hell

13 November 2007 The Daily Express Stefan Kiszko's aunt last night called Castree a monster and said: "I hope he rots in hell." Ann Kiszko attacked Lesley's killer for keeping silent while her nephew wrongly spent 16 years in jail. Ann, in her 70s, added: "I hope that rat has lots of accidents in prison. He has had the best years of his life while Stefan is dead...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

You'll die in jail

13 November 2007 Mirror Paul Byrne and Patrick Mulchrone A report into the police handling of the Stefan case has been kept secret for more than 14 years. An application by the Mirror for the file to be released under the Freedom of Information Act was declined earlier this year. Lancashire Police said the public's best interest was best-served by "nondisclosure". In 1994 DCI Dick Holland, CS Dibb and forensic scientist...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge

Justice...32 years late

13 November 2007 Mirror Paul Byrne and Patrick Mulchrone Child sex fiend who murdered Lesley gets life in jail Child sex killer Ron Castree who let an innocent man serve 16 years for his crime was told yesterday he would probably die in jail. The kinky comic book dealer was finally convicted of stabbing to death Lesley Molseed, 11, 32 years after he dumped her body on moorland. Lesley's family was jubilant. Mum April Garrett...

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lancashire Police, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

Two faced charges of perverting course of justice

13 November 2007 Yorkshire Post The retired forensic scientist and senior police officer faced being prosecuted for perverting the course of justice over Stefan Kiszko's conviction. Appeal court judges were told that the evidence that Stefan Kiszko could not have been responsible for the semen stains found on Lesley Molseed's body was available at the time of the trial - but was never disclosed to the defence. Once Mr Kiszko...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

The conviction of Ronald Castree marks the final chapter

13 November 2007 Manchester Evening News Nicola Dowling THE conviction of Ronald Castree marks the final chapter in one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British criminal history. A series of blunders by detectives investigating the murder of Lesley Molseed resulted in an innocent man - Stefan Kiszko - spending 16 years in prison for the crime while the real killer remained free. Last night, West Yorkshire Police made...

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Ireland, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, Max McLean, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Twists and turns of Molseed Inquiry

12 November 2007 Press Association Dave Higgens The release of Stefan Kiszko in 1992 reignited the question of who did kill Lesley Molseed. Speculation at the time about who did it ranged from notorious serial killers such as child-murderer Robert Black and Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe to people from the local community in Rochdale....

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Beast the killer tried to blame

12 November 2007 Halifax Evening Courier The evidence against Castree was overwhelming - but he tried to point the finger at one of Britain's most wanted criminals. Paedophile Raymond Hewlett is being hunted in connection with a serious sex assault on an eight-year-old girl in Manchester in 1975. He is the subject of an international manhunt and thought to be living a nomadic life in Spai...

Continue Reading... Labels: Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Ronald Castree, Scots Guard, Stefan Kiszko

'Ultimate Vindication' for wrongly-jailed loner

12 November 2007 Press Association Dave Higgens The conviction of Ronald Castree marks the ultimate vindication of Stefan Kiszko - the man who needlessly spent 16 years in prison for Lesley Molseed's murder. The former Inland Revenue clerk was jailed for life at Leeds Crown Court on July 21 197...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

Net finally falls on right man

12 November 2007 Guardian Unlimited For almost 30 years Ronald Castree walked free, as another man was jailed for his crime. But advances in forensic science meant justice was finally served When Ronald Castree stabbed schoolgirl Lesley Molseed to death on a lonely stretch of Yorkshire moorland 27 years ago, he began a course of events which were to destroy a second innocent life. As well as murdering the child, he stayed silent...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

Castree guilty of Molseed murder

12 November 2007 Yorkshire Post A comic book dealer has been jailed for life and told he must serve a minimum of 30 years for the murder of schoolgirl Lesley Molseed more than 30 years ago. The 11-year-old, who had learning difficulties, went missing while running an errand for her mother in Rotherham on Sunday October 5, 1975. Her body was found three days later on moorland near the Manchester Yorkshire border. She had been...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Ireland, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, Max McLean, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Scots Guard, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Molseed: The man wrongly jailed

November 12, 2007 Manchester Evening News STEFAN Kiszko spent 16 years in jail for a crime he could not have committed. When he was finally freed in 1992, aged 41, he was a broken man and died two days before Christmas the following year....

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, Dick Holland, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Molseed: Timeline and gallery

12 November 2007 Molseed: Timeline and galle...

Continue Reading... Labels: Campbell Malone, Crown Prosecution Service, Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Ireland, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Decades of botched investigations

12 November 2007 Press Association Amy Caulfield Here is the timeline of events surrounding Lesley Molseed's murder since she went missing 32 years ag...

Continue Reading... Labels: Dick Holland, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko

Castree defence team claim former Todmorden man killed Lesley

09 November 2007 Todmorden News A former Todmorden man has been named as the probable killer of Lesley Molseed by the lawyer defending an Oldham man standing trial for the schoolgirl's murder. Ronald Castree's defence counsel Rodney Jameson QC told Bradford Crown Court that there was "an overwhelming possibility" that the man who sexually assaulted Lesley and stabbed her 12 times was convicted paedophile Raymond Hewlett, who...

Continue Reading... Labels: Christopher Coverdale, DNA, FSS, Ireland, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Rosalee Dolan, Rosalie Dolan, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

You've got the wrong man again, says 'sex murder' defendant

6 November 2007 The Daily Express Paul Broster The man accused of sexually assaulting and murdering 11y ear-old Lesley Molseed yesterday insisted: "I did not kill her." Comic book trader Ronald Castree, 54, denied snatching her 32 years ago and stabbing her to death on desolate moorland. Instead his defence team named "violent and dangerous paedophile" Raymond Hewlett....

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Lesley Molseed murder trial: Finger pointed at ex-Tod man

6 November 2007  Halifax Evening Courier The jury in the Lesley Molseed murder trial has heard that her killer could have been a former Todmorden man. Ronald Castree, 54, denies murdering the 11-year-old schoolgirl on moorland above Ripponden in October 1975. And yesterday, defence counsel Rodney Jameson QC told Bradford Crown Court that there was "an overwhelming possibility" that the man who sexually assaulted her and...

Continue Reading... Labels: Christopher Coverdale, DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Ronald Castree, Rosalee Dolan, Rosalie Dolan, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Defendant denies murdering girl 30 years ago

5 November 2007 Press Association Dave Higgens The man accused of murdering schoolgirl Lesley Molseed more than 30 years ago told a jury today that he did not kill the 11-year-old. Ronald Castree, 54, was asked if he was guilty almost as soon as he took to the witness box at Bradford Crown Court. Rodney Jameson QC, defending, asked him: "Did you murder Lesley Molseed?" Standing with his hands clasped in front on him, bald-headed...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Ronald Outteridge, Stefan Kiszko, West Yorkshire Police

Lesley Molseed murder trial

Defence claims Calderdale paedophile is real killer 5 November 2007 Halifax Evening Courier A defence barrister has named a man who may have murdered schoolgirl Lesley Molseed more than 30 years ago. Rodney Jameson, QC, told Bradford Crown Court today there was "an overwhelming possibility" the man who murdered Lesley, of Delamere Road, Rochdale, was convicted paedophile Raymond Hewlett, formerly of Todmorden. Mr Hewlett...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Madeleine McCann, paedophiles, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko

Lesley Molseed murder trial: defence claims Calderdale paedophile is real killer

5 November 2007 Halifax Evening Courier A DEFENCE barrister has named a man who may have murdered schoolgirl Lesley Molseed more than 30 years ago. Rodney Jameson, QC, told Bradford Crown Court today there was "an overwhelming possibility" the man who murdered Lesley, of Delamere Road, Rochdale, was convicted paedophile Raymond Hewlett, formerly of Todmorde...

Continue Reading... Labels: DNA, FSS, Lesley Molseed, Raymond Hewlett, Rochdale, Ronald Castree, Stefan Kiszko