THE following is a round-up of Worcester Crown Court stories featured in the Worcester News last week.

A woman who says she suffered sexual abuse as a child found the courage to stand up to her alleged abuser, a court heard.

The woman, who cannot be identified, says she suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Philip Oliver in Worcester during the 1970s.

A group of men has appeared in court accused of drug dealing and weapons offences, including an allegation that two were armed with a crossbow and one with an imitation firearm in Worcester.

Scott Fewtrell, Tommy Lee Jauncey, Kane Ingram, Asgar Khalfe and Jake Cox appeared together at Worcester Crown Court where the charges were formally put to them by the clerk.

A dog was used as a weapon to savage a man during a bloody attack before he was set upon by a gang of four and beaten so badly his skin ‘popped'.

However, the animal is unlikely to be destroyed and could be rehomed with the owner's aunt if certain conditions are met following the shocking attack in Worcester.

A child sex abuse trial will have to begin all over again after the alleged victim recognised one of the jurors from her school days.

The complainant was just about to give evidence behind a screen in the witness box at Worcester Crown Court when she told the judge she knew one of the male jurors from school.

A woman wept as she spoke about the alleged sexual abuse she suffered from the age of five during the 1970s.

Philip Oliver denies the abuse took place in Dines Green, Worcester between 1971 and 1980 as his trial began at the city's crown court.