Defendant dies before he can face Corby rape trial

A man who was facing a crown court trial over a series of rapes and sexual assaults has died.

Roderick Ross was due to stand trial at Northampton Crown Court accused of seven indecent assaults and three rapes against female victims in Corby in the 1990s and early 2000s. One was under 16 at the time of the alleged assaults

The initial complaint to police had been made three years ago but Ross did not make his first court appearance until February this year.

And in June a warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to turn up for his court hearing.

But it emerged last week that Ross’s non-attendance was because he had died and barristers appeared back in court to formally drop the case and cancel the bail conditions attached to it after presenting his death certificate to the court.

The circumstances surrounding the death of Ross, 72, now of St George’s Street, Northampton, are unknown.