Molseed murder back in the news

Lesley Molseed

The murder of Lesley Molseed in the early 1970s has been back in the news this week as the use of DNA evidence casts doubt over other murders that happened decades ago.

In 1975 Stefan Kiszko was jailed for life for the murder and sexual assault of Rochdale schoolgirl Lesley Molseed. 17 years later he was freed on appeal, after his mother, Charlotte, had campaigned tirelessly to clear his name.

Mr Kiszko was finally cleared after an investigation found that semen found on Lesley Molseed's clothing contained heads of sperm. Mr Kiszko was infertile. He complained that detectives from West Yorkshire Police had bullied him into a confession.

Mr Kiszko died of a massive heart attack the year after his release.

DNA evidence was used to uncover the real killer, Ronald Castree, who was jailed for life in 2007.

The case has been brought back into the news this week after the conviction of Sean Hodgson, for killing a woman in a pub car park in Southampton, was quashed after DNA evidence uncovered that he was not the killer.

The discovery could force prosecutors to re-investigate hundreds of cases. The Criminal Cases Review Commission has asked for similar convictions, made before DNA tests were available, to be reviewed.