THE YOUNG woman at the centre of the Owen Oyston rape trial is from Accrington.

Miss B - whom Oyston was found guilty of raping at the age of 16 - was until recently living in a terrace house in the town.

She has since moved out the house to live with her mother at a separate address in another part of the borough.

Oyston, the tycoon owner of Blackpool Football Club, was also found guilty of indecently assaulting his victim in the back of a car.

Reporters from national newspapers have been trying to speak to the 20-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, ever since Oyston was sentenced to six years in jail.

Family and friends have also been approached by journalists from daily and Sunday newspapers asking for interviews.

Miss B gave evidence at the four-week trial and told the court she first met Oyston after joining a Manchester model agency.

The judge in charge of the case, Mr Justice McCullough, criticised Owen Oyston for treating the vulnerable and dependent 16-year-old like "an object".

And a detective from Manchester who took part in the investigation into the media magnate and former estate agent praised the courage of Miss B after the trial.

Detective Sergeant Harry Harrison said: "It shows no matter who the defendant is, action will be taken when a person's privacy is violated.

"The last few years have been very difficult for Miss B. She has shown tremendous courage in giving her evidence."

The millionaire, who was cleared of a second charge of raping another model, was starting his sentence at Liverpool's Walton prison earlier this week.

Peter Martin, the boss of the model agency where Miss B worked at the time of the offence, is due to stand trial next month accused of eight rapes and three indecent assaults.

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