Anthea Turner: John was adored by female colleagues and always respectful towards me
ANTHEA Turner told a jury accused groper John Leslie was adored by the mainly female Blue Peter TV staff and “incredibly respectful” to her.
The broadcaster and author, who appeared in court yesterday to support her former co- host, said: “Everybody loved him.
“I am a woman, he respectful, incredibly with myself.”
Leslie, inset, is accused of grabbing a woman’s breasts at a Christmas party in London in
2008. He denies sexual assault by touching.
Ms Turner, 60, told Southwark Crown Court: “When he asked me to come I wanted to be here. This is very important. This is not the man I know, not at all.”
Leslie’s This Morning co- host Fern Britton and Blue Peter colleagues Diane- Louise Jordan and Yvette Fielding also backed him.
Leslie, 55, was wrongly outed in 2002 by TV host Matthew Wright as the unnamed rapist in presenter Ulrika Jonsson’s autobiography.
A year later, Leslie was accused of indecent assault against a woman but the charges were dropped.
Ms Jordan, who described Leslie as a “gentleman” and “big brother”, said he had gone from exuberant to “like a shell” after the allegations.
She told the jury: “I have never, ever, ever seen John behave in was always respectful,
any way inappropriately with any woman.”
Ms Fielding echoed Ms Jordan’s remarks via video link.
Ms Britton said in a statement: “I can confidently say that the allegations that have been made about John do not sound like the man that I know in the slightest.”
Leslie said earlier he felt like a “wounded animal” and was still scarred after years of allegations.
Asked by Jocelyn Ledward, prosecuting, why he had given a “no comment” interview to police about the groping claim, Leslie said: “I had done nothing wrong so I just wanted to hear what it was. I had never assaulted or attacked anybody.”
He added: “There is a big line between being gregarious and criminal activity. I know that line and I have never crossed it.”
The trial continues.