THE jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of Isle of Wight councillor Daryll Pitcher, who is charged with historic sexual abuse.

UPDATE: Isle of Wight councillor, Daryll Pitcher, has been found guilty of historic child rapes.

It follows a five-and-a-half-day hearing at Isle of Wight Crown Court, in Newport.

Mr Pitcher, 46, of Norman Way, is charged with two counts of rape, between June 1990 and March 1992 and one of indecent assault of a girl aged under 13 years old, by having sexual intercourse, between March and June 1990.

The Wootton Bridge councillor has always denied committing the offences, which would have happened when both he and the alleged victim were both children.

Recorder Richard Onslow finished his summing up this morning (Monday) and has sent the jury out for its deliberations.

Read more from the trial here: