John Leslie ‘ laughed after groping woman’
FORMER TV host John Leslie grabbed a woman’s breasts at a celebrity Christmas party before walking off laughing, a court was told yesterday.
The ex-Blue Peter presenter, 55, is accused of sexually assaulting a stranger at a West End nightclub more than a decade ago.
He is alleged to have groped the woman with both hands for three seconds laughing as he looked directly at her, before strolling off chuckling without saying a word.
Southwark Crown Court heard yesterday that the woman, who cannot be named, was left ‘stunned’ but did not report the alleged sex attack on December 5, 2008, as she thought no one would believe her.
She only went to the police years later after growing more angry about the incident in the wake of the Me Too movement, when other women began making complaints of unwarranted sexual advances by other people.
Jocelyn Ledward, prosecuting, said: ‘Back in 2008, the defendant attended a party in a nightclub in London.’
The woman had apparently approached Leslie as he made his way to the bar in Soho because she recognised him.
He smiled at her, Miss Ledward said, adding: ‘She shook his hand and explained who she was. She smiled back. Without saying anything further he grabbed both of her breasts with both of his hands and laughed as he did so.
‘This went on by her estimation for about three seconds.
‘The prosecution say this was no accidental touching but a quite deliberate sexual assault. The defendant laughed again and then walked off as if what he had done was completely acceptable and was not something anyone was going to challenge him on.’
After appearing on Blue Peter between 1989 and 1994, Leslie went on to host several popular TV shows including This Morning and Wheel of Fortune. In March 2018, the former presenter voluntarily attended a police interview to answer questions about the allegation.
He chose not to have a solicitor and answered no comment to every question, only telling officers: ‘I have not attacked or assaulted anyone ever.’
Yesterday Leslie arrived at court in a grey suit, blue flat cap and tartan face mask. The trial was halted due to an issue with a juror but the case is expected to start afresh today. He denies one charge of sexual assault.