Man 'told raped girl magic could cure her pregnancy' (From Sutton Guardian)

'Warlock gravedigger William Lambert told raped girl magic could cure her pregnancy'

8:34am Friday 6th May 2011 in Lambert Trial By Jamie Henderson

A woman wept in court after describing how alleged child rapist William Lambert duped her into believing he could abort her pregnancy using his magical powers.

The 37-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury at Croydon Crown Court on Tuesday, May 3, how Mr Lambert, 74, of Malden Road, Sutton, lured her to his churchyard shed under the pretence he could “cure” her pregnancy.

As she was then only 14, the girl was too frightened to tell her parents she was pregnant, but desperately wanted to “get rid of the baby”.

A mutual friend, who was also allegedly repeatedly sexually abused by the gravedigger, told the 14-year-old she knew someone who could help her with her pregnancy.

The pair agreed to meet Mr Lambert at his shed, in the grounds of St Dunstan’s Church, Cheam, where he ran an informal youth club.

Once inside the outhouse, the former Carshalton High School for Girls pupil was asked to lie down on a makeshift table.

A curtain was laid across her midriff preventing her from seeing what Mr Lambert was doing, the court heard.

She said: “It was strange, I knew it didn’t feel right but you don’t want to go home and tell your mum you’re pregnant, she would’ve killed me.

“He said he would sort me out and told me to lie down while the other girl held my hand. I couldn’t see him because of the curtain, but I could feel him.

“I should’ve walked out there and then, I was so silly.”

The court later heard Mr Lambert’s alleged victim, who had missed her period by a week, was not actually pregnant but this led her to assume Mr Lambert’s “procedure” had worked.

Mr Lambert denies raping four girls, aged between 11 and 15, over several years between 1985 and 1990 and three charges of sexual assault while working as a groundsman and gravedigger at the churchyard.

The trial continues.