Former BBC presenter denies ‘poisonous’ sex offence claims

 A former BBC radio presenter charged with sex offences against underage boys is the victim of “poisonous and untrue” allegations, a court heard.

In the defence closing speech for Julie Wadsworth, from Broughton Astley, Leics, her barrister accused the prosecution of launching a cheap attempt to paint the 60-year-old as a “salacious and predatory” public figure.

Mrs Wadsworth and her husband Tony, 69, who also worked as a presenter for BBC local radio, deny offences of outraging public decency and indecent assault allegedly committed in woodland in Warwickshire in the 1990s.

In the third week of a trial at Warwick Crown Court, Mr Wadsworth’s counsel denied the couple’s actions could be likened to “some seedy Soho club”.

Mrs Wadsworth’s lawyer, David Hislop QC, criticised the Crown’s use of a charity calendar featuring her posing as Lady Godiva to suggest her career was forged “on the twang of a stocking”.