A MARRIED couple and another man appeared in court accused of raping and abusing a child more than 35 years ago.

Rolf and Lesley Overaa appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court with Klaus Holtzmann charged with raping a girl under 16 between 1978 and 1982.

The couple, of Goldsworthy Drive, Great Wakering, appeared briefly before Judge John Woollard yesterday, along with Holtzmann, whose address was not given in court.

Lesley Overaa, dressed in a white T-shirt and wearing glasses, stood next to her husband, who was wearing a black polo shirt, and Holtzmann, who appeared in a beige suit and checked shirt.

The three defendants are charged with two counts of rape of a child under the age of 16, as well as three indecent assaults of a girl under the age of 14 between January 1, 1978 and December 31, 1982.

Rolf Overaa is also charged with possessing a Taser and a quantity of cannabis on September 11 last year.

The judge set the date of the next hearing for the three accused.

He said: “You must make your first appearance in the week commencing October 28.

“I can’t tell you an exact date and time, the Crown Court will tell your solicitors in the next couple of days."

Lesley Overaa, 62, Rolf Overaa, 63, and Holtzmann, 72, were all released on unconditional bail.