East Lancs pensioner accused of child sex abuse (From Lancashire Telegraph)

East Lancs pensioner accused of child sex abuse

12:48pm Wednesday 3rd November 2010 in Read By Wendy Barlow, Court reporter

A FOSTER carer allegedly molested a girl, committing sex acts on her, a jury was told.

Pensioner Royston Duffield was said to have struck repeatedly but the alleged victim did not tell anybody until last year.

Duffield’s wife Pauline, a teacher at the former Moorhead High School, Accrington, between 1990 and 2005, is said to have initially told the girl, ‘don’t blow my world apart’ before calling the police, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Duffield, now 70, who lived with his wife at Dunster Avenue, Oswaldtwistle and is now of Whalley Road, Read, told police the allegations were lies.

He denies eight charges, two of then specimens, between August 2005 and August last year.

He pleads not guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and five of assault by penetration.

Sara Dodd, prosecuting, said in December last year, the alleged victim visited a friend. On the train home, she received a text message from the friend asking: “What is wrong?” She sent a message back claiming she had been sexually abused by the defendant.

Miss Dodd said the girl told Mrs Duffield her husband had been abusing her.

When confronted Mrs Duffield said: “Don’t blow my world apart.” Miss Dodd said Mrs Duffield later rang police and told them of the allegations.

The girl was interviewed by officers on video and claimed the defendant had touched her breasts over her clothing and when she was older, he had committed sex acts on her.

The prosecutor continued: “She said it happened loads of times. The defendant says they are a pack of lies.

“Why would she tell these lies, because if they are lies, they are fairly wicked lies?

(Proceeding)

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