A 52-YEAR-OLD man has appeared in court charged with kidnap and rape after a missing 11-year-old girl was found by police near Darlington.

The girl was reported missing from her home in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, at 9.47pm on Saturday.

She was eventually found by officers near Darlington - some 150 miles away from her home.

Cheshire Police on Tuesday afternoon revealed that they had charged a man following the incident.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "Extensive searches were conducted locally to locate her.

"At around 1.45am on Sunday, November 8, officers were notified by colleagues at Durham Constabulary that they had the girl in their care, having been found in a small village near Darlington.

"A short time later, motorway police stopped a car on the M6 near Preston, Lancashire and arrested the occupant."

Paul Ripley, 52, of no fixed abode, has been charged with kidnap, two counts of rape of a female under 13 and a charge of dangerous driving.

He appeared at Chester Magistrates' Court for a brief hearing this morning.

The case was adjourned until November 24 at Chester Crown Court.

Ripley was remanded in custody.

  • When contacted for comment, a Durham Police spokeswoman referred The Northern Echo to the Cheshire force.