Former Blue Peter presenter denies groping charge

The former TV presenter John Leslie has appeared in court accused of putting his hand down a woman’s trousers as they danced on her hen night.

A woman has told a court she has nothing to gain from accusing former TV presenter John Leslie of sexual assault.

The 53-year-old has gone on trial accused of putting his hand down a woman’s trousers and touching her bottom as they danced at her hen night in Atik nightclub in Edinburgh last June.

The woman, who cannot be identified, said she saw Leslie when they entered the club and recognised him from television, particularly Blue Peter.

Leslie is on trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court under his real name John Stott and denies the charge.

The accuser was the first to give evidence and said she had spoken to Leslie during the night about football, some of his ex-girlfriends and speculation he could appear in TV programme Celebrity Big Brother.

While dancing with friends and a stag party later in the night, she said Leslie approached her and said “be careful, you’re getting married”.

She said she thought he was being “protective” and suggested they dance together.

Leslie had a hand on her waist and she had a hand on his shoulder, the court heard.

The woman said: “We’d been going in circles then he pulled me closer.

“I did feel uncomfortable but thought I was maybe reading too much into it.”

She said she gave her friend “a look” in an attempt to make her aware she was uncomfortable, adding: “After that I felt his hand go down my trousers at the back.

“I didn’t know how to react. I made even more of a look to my friend because I knew I needed to be out of that situation.”

She said Leslie touched her skin but was not sure if he had put his hand beneath her underwear. The woman told the court a friend pulled her away and then danced briefly with her hen party to “pretend it hadn’t happened”.

She added: “But then I got really upset so moved to the booth.

“I asked my friend something like ‘why did he think he could do that or what did I do to make him do that?’”

She went outside with a friend and her sister-in-law who said they should tell someone, the court heard.

She said they told a female bouncer and later a police officer at the nightclub who took her to a station to make a statement.

The trial continues.