Bill Roache bailed until Monday to face charge of raping girl

Coronation Street actor William Roache has been bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court next Monday, when he is due to face a charge of raping a 15-year-old girl in 1967.

He arrived at court earlier to face allegations of five historical offences of indecent assault involving four girls.

Mr Roache (81), from Wilmslow, Cheshire, was arrested yesterday morning after attending a police station in Cheshire by appointment.

The actor is looking forward to standing before a jury to “vigorously protest his innocence” of “deeply upsetting” sex charges, his lawyer Brian Russell said today outside Preston Magistrates’ Court.

Mr Russell spoke outside the court as the actor arrived to face new charges linked to allegations made in the wake of publicity surrounding his original arrest last month.

The offences are said to have been committed in the Manchester area in 1965 and 1968, with the alleged victims aged between 11 or 12 and 16.

Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: "We have carefully considered all the evidence gathered by Lancashire Police in relation to recent allegations from four complainants that William Roache indecently assaulted them in the 1960s.

“Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Roache to be charged with five offences of indecent assault relating to four girls who were aged between 11 or 12 and 16 at the time that the alleged offences happened.”

The CPS said Mr Roache faces two counts of indecent assault against a 14-year-old girl in 1965 and three separate indecent assaults in relation to a 16-year-old girl in 1965, a 13- or 14-year-old girl in 1968 and an 11- or 12-year-old girl in 1968.

Roache — the world's longest-serving soap actor — has played Ken Barlow in the ITV1 soap since its launch, but will not be appearing in the programme until legal proceedings are concluded, dependent on his name being cleared.

He collected an award from Guinness World Records in 2010 for his long service in Coronation Street, having joined in 1960 and appeared regularly ever since.

PA