Joseph McCann trial: Woman 'kidnapped outside shop'

A 71-year-old woman was punched in the face before being sexually assaulted in her car by a serial rapist, a court has heard.

Joseph McCann kidnapped the woman as she was about to drive out of a branch of Morrisons in north Manchester on 5 May, the Old Bailey heard.

She was then driven to an industrial estate where he raped her, the jury was told.

Mr McCann, 34, of Harrow, London, denies 37 offences against 11 victims.

In a police interview played to a jury on Monday, the 71-year-old woman said she had finished shopping at Morrisons when Mr McCann allegedly approached her car.

"He got into the passenger seat. I shouted, 'get out, get out' and that is when he punched me in the face," she told Greater Manchester Police.

"He said he wanted a lift. He said, 'I don't want to hurt you. I have got a knife. I have killed somebody'."

The woman said she initially drove on the M66, but said she was made to switch seats with Mr McCann as he wanted to buy cigarettes.

After they stopped at a service station, the woman said she was driven to an industrial estate, where she said the defendant started drinking from a bottle of wine.

In the interview she said: "We got into this car park and he said, 'we'll have sex now whilst we are waiting'."

The woman claimed she was made to partially undress and forced to perform a sex act on Mr McCann.

He later drove to a cash machine where he used her bank card to withdraw money.

A "little girl" then got into the back seat with Mr McCann, the court heard.

The woman said she was ordered to drive to Manchester, but said that because Mr McCann was "messing about" he was not looking where they were going.

She told police she drove in the wrong direction, and eventually pulled up to a service station to get fuel.

The woman then ran out of the car and the girl in the back seat also ran. She said Mr McCann grabbed the car keys and drove off.

The trial continues.