THE rape trial of a Merseyside man collapsed after his alleged victim broke down and refused to give evidence.

Kevin Holmes, 28, of Coney Crescent, Thornton, had been accused of raping the 10-year-old girl in Fleetwood on May 9.

He admitted kidnapping her by throwing her into the boot of his car, biting and slapping her and subjecting her to a serious sexual assault but denied rape.

Preston Crown Court heard from the girl in videotaped evidence how Holmes had waited in a car park.

She said: “The lad asked can you help me? I said no. I started to run but he grabbed hold of me and shoved me in the back of his car.”

She then described travelling in the boot, Holmes stopping the car and asking her how old she was and how he bit and slapped her. At a second stop, she said he raped her. Holmes denied rape, saying it was a sexual assault.

When Janet Ironfield, defending, tried to cross-examine the girl through a video link, she started to cry and refused. The court was adjourned to give her time to change her mind, but yesterday she refused to return and the judge directed the jury to find Holmes not guilty.

The case was adjourned until January 24 for sentence.