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A man will appear in court charged with raping a woman he allegedly kidnapped at knife-point in Leyland.

Neil Reid, 43, of Towngate, Leyland, is charged with rape, kidnap, threatening a person with a bladed article and two counts of attempted robbery.

He was arrested in the early hours of Thursday, April 17 after a young woman reported being threatened with a knife in the Chapel Brow area of the town shortly before midnight.

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A young woman reported being threatened with a knife in the Chapel Brow area of Leyland town centre where she was allegedly kidnapped and driven to a side-street in Lostock Hall where she was raped at around midnight on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 | Google

Lancashire Police said she was forced into a car and taken to Sephton Street, off Watkin Lane in Lostock Hall, where she was reportedly raped.

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Reid was arrested the following morning by officers responding to separate reports of a man breaking into properties in Preston seeking to steal car keys.

Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Reid was charged and appeared before Preston Magistrates where he was remanded in custody.

He will next appear at Preston Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing at 10.30am on Wednesday, May 21.

Court date for Leyland man charged with raping woman kidnapped at knife-point from town centre