Man charged with murdering Hampshire schoolgirl Lucy McHugh, 13, denies raping her
A MAN who is facing trial for the murder of a schoolgirl has denied raping her.
Carer Stephen Nicholson, 25, of no fixed address, is charged with the murder of the 13-year-old Lucy McHugh in July last year which he denies.
A post-mortem revealed the schoolgirl had died from stab wounds.
At the start of the trial at Winchester Crown Court, he pleaded not guilty to three charges of rape against Lucy when she was 12 years old and two charges of sexual activity with a child when she was aged 13.
A panel of jurors has been selected from which 12 will be sworn in on Thursday when the prosecution is expected to open its case.
Lucy left her home in Mansel Road East, Southampton, Hampshire, at about 9am on July 25, police have said.
Her body was found the next morning in woodland nearly two miles away.
A post-mortem examination revealed she died from stab wounds.
Lucy's mother, Stacey White, has described her daughter as an ‘angel’ and as ‘a smiling, content little dolly, who everyone adored and cherished’.