Telford man, 71, on trial over historic child sex abuse
A Telford man abused children over a period of four decades, a jury has heard.
Lescencias Smith, now 71, was arrested following allegations that he carried out the offences between 1973 and 2017, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.
The case involves four victims. Mr Julian Taylor, prosecuting barrister, told the jury that all the matters came to light after a parent complained to the NSPCC following a incident involving a child two years ago.
He said during the subsequent police investigation historic allegations relating to three other females, now adults, were disclosed to the officers.
Mr Taylor said that the oldest complainant told investigating police officers that she first met the defendant at a teens’ disco in Oakengates, Telford, in 1973 when she was 15.
He told the jury that at the time she thought he was 20 years old and later found out that he was actually 27.
Mr Taylor said the woman told how Smith took her to a flat, in Wolverhampton, where he raped her before taking her home.
He said the woman also told officers that she fell pregnant later that year.
Smith, of Harvey Crescent, Arleston, denies eight offences including rape of a girl under 16, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and indecent assault.
The trial continues.
