A GIRL, aged 19, was terrorised and indecently assaulted by a man who claimed he was the prime suspect in a murder case.

William Holohan, 40, of Tarleton Avenue, Hag Fold, was jailed for six and a half years at Bolton Crown Court.

The court heard that he had terrorised the girl by showing her a newspaper cutting from the front page of the Bolton Evening News which revealed he had been a prime suspect for the murder of 90 years-old Bolton man, Bill McGrath.

He pleaded guilty to the false imprisonment and indecent assault of the girl heroin addict.

The newspaper reported how murder charges against Holohan and another man were dropped on the eve of their trial in March 1994 when the suicide of the chief prosecution witness left the police with insufficient evidence to obtain a conviction.

Holohan, sometimes known as 'Irish Billy', claimed the police had got the wrong men and that the authorities had tried to frame them.

Holohan's victim described how she left a party in a house in Atherton with Holohan after her boyfriend had given her an ultimatum - "it's either me or heroin".

She went with Holohan to his home but became frightened when he showed her the newspaper cuttings about himself and the murder charge.

Though there were children in the house, Holohan refused to let her leave. He indecently assaulted her and injected her with heroin, she said.

The following morning she took a chance to escape and reported her ordeal to the police.

Philip Andrews, defending, pointed out that the girl had gone willingly to Holohan's house and had given the impression that she was willing to have sex with him.

But there came a time when she was no longer willing to co-operate, he added.

Mr Andrews pointed out that no great violence had been used against the girl.

Holohan had originally pleaded not guilty to five charges which alleged rape and causing bodily harm.

In the course of the trial, Holohan (pictured) changed his pleas to guilty on the false imprisonment, indecent assault and supplying heroin charges. The prosecution withdrew the rape and bodily harm charges.

The identity of the victim may not be revealed.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.