davieG Posted 14 January 2014 Share Posted 14 January 2014 Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis was an "opportunist" sex offender who targeted "vulnerable" young women, a London court has been told. Mr Travis allegedly assaulted 11 victims, at places including BBC sites and pantomimes, between 1976 and 2008. One woman, aged 19, had been "assaulted live on Top of the Pops" in 1978, prosecutor Miranda Moore QC said. Mr Travis, 68, whose real name is David Griffin, denies 13 counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault. The DJ hosted the Radio 1 Breakfast show from 1978 to 1980 and was a regular host of Top of the Pops in the 1970s and 80s. He denies the assaults and claims the alleged victims are motivated by greed for compensation and media attention, Southwark Crown Court heard. Operation Yewtree The alleged victims were aged between 15 and 29 at the time of the incidents. "The offences vary in gravity," Ms Moore said. "All are sexual in nature involving unwanted contact by this defendant on much younger women, both over clothing and under clothing." The youngest alleged victim, who was 15, claims she was attending a Showaddywaddy concert in 1978 at a farm in Gloucestershire, where the defendant invited her in to his trailer for a drink. After discussing music, Mr Travis commented on the girl's breasts, before lifting her top over her head and pulling down her bra to expose her breasts, Ms Moore told the court. Continue reading the main story At court Danny ShawHome affairs correspondent, BBC News Standing at the front of the dock, close to the glass, Dave Lee Travis listened intently as the court clerk read out the indictment. Hands clasped in front of his light brown jacket, the DJ followed the proceedings with the aid of a hearing loop - the acoustics at Southwark Crown Court are notoriously poor. After the charges had been set out, and the jury told that he had pleaded not guilty, the 68-year-old sat down as Miranda Moore, for the prosecution, outlined the case. Occasionally he glanced downwards or shook his head, but mostly he was focused on the courtroom in front of him and the 12 jurors who will eventually determine his fate. The woman claims she was then pinned to her seat. "In her words, she thought he was going to rape her," Ms Moore said. Mr Travis was arrested as part of Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree, which was set up after abuse allegations against the late entertainer, Jimmy Savile, the court heard. Police got referrals from "all over the country" about Mr Travis, Ms Moore said. One woman, who was an 18-year-old BBC clerk, alleges an assault in a BBC radio studio between 1976 and 1977. She went to the Daily Mail in 2012 after she felt nothing was being done by the BBC, the court heard. He is alleged to have pressed his groin against her and when she told him to stop, "he grabbed her and put the red light [signalling a live broadcast] on". He appeared to her to be getting angry, Ms Moore said, before he "put his hand up her skirt". During an appearance on Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4 in the early 1980s, Mr Travis is alleged to have grabbed one woman's breast which he "moved up and down", Ms Moore said. In another incident, he allegedly assaulted a woman while he was appearing as the "evil wizard" Abanazar in the pantomime Aladdin. Mr Travis pressed against the woman and indecently assaulted her, while holding the door shut in a room at the theatre, in Crawley, West Sussex. He only stopped when he heard someone walk past, added Ms Moore. The alleged victim reported the incident, which happened between November 1990 and January 1991, to a stage manager but it was decided she would not go to the police because Mr Travis was a "star". On another occasion he allegedly assaulted a female student after asking her to guard his camper van at Nottingham Polytechnic, where he was appearing as a DJ. When Mr Travis came out of the van he grabbed her left breast, before saying "securi-titty", the prosecutor said. He later kissed the student before she ran away, after which she "felt stupid and humiliated". Another two females were inside the van and appeared "intoxicated" during the incident between January 1983 and March 1984, Ms Moore said. Mr Travis, of Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, was also accused of assaulting a British Airways worker at two corporate parties, two Chiltern Radio staff, a hotel receptionist in the Cornish town of Bude, and stage help at a Christmas pantomime - all of which he denies. None of the alleged victims knew each other, the court heard. Judge Anthony Leonard told the jury to try the case only on evidence heard during the trial, and not to do any internet "sleuthing". The trial is expected to last up to six weeks. Coronation Street star William Roache indecently assaulted a 14-year-old girl in the men's toilet at the Granada TV studios in Manchester and then sent her a signed photo, a court has heard. Sending the letter "was a sort of grooming as we nowadays know it," prosecutor Anne Whyte QC said. Mr Roache, 81, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, denies two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in East Lancashire in 1967. He also denies five counts of indecent assault involving four girls. Those alleged offences took place on girls aged from 11 to 16 in Manchester between 1965 and 1968, Preston Crown Court heard. Miss Whyte said: "William Roache is, as you all know, an actor. He has spent much of his adult life playing a part. 'Fictional image' "It is very important that you remember at all times that you are here to judge the man and not the part. William Roache is on trial at Preston Crown Court "Mr Roache presents a fictional image of himself for a living - it is part and parcel of his work and fame. "But in this room, with you, he is William Roache, not Ken Barlow. He is the defendant and you are the jury." She continued: "He faces seven separate criminal charges. The allegations are made by five different women - each of them says that he sexually abused them during the 1960s. "He denies that this is the case and your task will be to decide whether these women are telling the truth." 'Powerful factor' The prosecutor said the first complainant in the case contacted police last March. She said: "In the context of discussing other sex scandals involving the late Cyril Smith and Jimmy Savile, her son had expressed disbelief about how long it had taken for victims of sexual offences to come forward. "His mother tried to explain, and in this case she knows. She eventually told her son about what had happened many years before with the defendant." Her son told her to contact police which she eventually did, said Miss Whyte. Mr Roache was arrested on 1 May and, after being interviewed, he was charged with two offences of rape. The jury was told the alleged rape took place at two of his properties in Haslingden, Lancashire, in 1967 when the girl was 15. The publicity that followed led to other complainants coming forward. Apart from two of the alleged victims who were sisters, there was nothing else to link any of the complainants, the court heard. Miss Whyte said the Crown argued that this should be a "powerful factor" in the jury's assessment of the evidence. 'Slept with many women' Women who do not know each other are complaining about his behaviour from the same broad period of time, she said. The sisters who allege they were indecently assaulted used to sit on the steps of the TV studios, the court heard. Other alleged attacks took place in his Rolls-Royce. When he was arrested Mr Roache was "absolutely surprised and amazed. He appeared visibly shocked", Miss Whyte said. She said he told police he had "taken the opportunity to sleep with many women but this had always been with their consent" adding "he had never sought out girls under the age of 16 because such girls did not interest him sexually". Mr Roache, who has not appeared in Coronation Street while legal proceedings were ongoing, "strenuously" denies the allegations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21st Century Fox Posted 14 January 2014 Share Posted 14 January 2014 Someone's going to say so I might as well. It's not a laughing matter but.... "securi-titty". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beliall Posted 14 January 2014 Share Posted 14 January 2014 'Fictional image' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davieG Posted 14 January 2014 Author Share Posted 14 January 2014 Rolf Harris pleads not guilty to 12 indecent assault charges Cannot play media. You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version Rolf Harris arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London. He has denied indecently assaulting four girls Veteran TV presenter Rolf Harris has pleaded not guilty to 12 indecent assault charges. The 83-year-old of Bray, Berkshire, is accused of assaulting four girls between 1968 and 1986. Mr Harris was remanded on bail at London's Southwark Crown Court and his trial was set for 30 April. The Australian artist, musician and television presenter has yet to be arraigned on four counts of making an indecent image of a child. He arrived earlier for the hearing with his wife Alwen and daughter Bindi. Six of the indecent assault counts relate to a girl aged 15 between April 1980 and April 1981, and one relates to the same alleged victim when she was aged 19 between January 1984 and January 1985. Three of the alleged indecent assaults relate to a 14-year-old girl in May 1986. The other two charges relate to the alleged indecent assault on a girl aged seven or eight between January 1968 and January 1970, and a girl aged 14 between January 1975 and January 1976. Mr Harris was released on bail on the conditions that he does not contact prosecution witnesses, lives at his home address and does not spend time with anyone under the age of 18 without being accompanied by someone over 21. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted 14 January 2014 Share Posted 14 January 2014 'On another occasion Mr Travis allegedly assaulted a female student after asking her to guard his camper van at Nottingham Polytechnic, where he was appearing as a DJ, between January 1983 and March 1984.' 'When Mr Travis came out of the van he grabbed her left breast, before saying "securi-titty", the prosecutor said. He later kissed the student before she ran away, after which she "felt stupid and humiliated".' If this wasn't a serious matter that caused women serious distress it could pass as the script for a Carry On movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rincewind Posted 14 January 2014 Share Posted 14 January 2014 I bet she laughed about it at the time dispute saying she was distressed. A bit difficult to prove either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webbo Posted 6 February 2014 Share Posted 6 February 2014 Ken Barlow not guilty. Not really surprised. After following the trial on TV I don't really know how they ever expected to get a conviction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisNedry Posted 6 February 2014 Share Posted 6 February 2014 Now that Ken's been found not guilty, there needs to be some sort of sanction or punishment for the accuser, to try and stop other false accusations from compo-seekers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MattP Posted 6 February 2014 Share Posted 6 February 2014 Ken Barlow not guilty. Not really surprised. After following the trial on TV I don't really know how they ever expected to get a conviction. From the evidence I've read you have to wonder how this got to court. It's like the Savile thing was such a cock up now everyone else has to do the time for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webbo Posted 6 February 2014 Share Posted 6 February 2014 Now that Ken's been found not guilty, there needs to be some sort of sanction or punishment for the accuser, to try and stop other false accusations from compo-seekers. But that would frighten real victims from coming forward incase they lost the case. BTW I'm not certain William Roache is innocent, I have no idea, but their word against his after 40-50 years there was no way you could convict him on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merging Cultures Posted 6 February 2014 Share Posted 6 February 2014 Now that Ken's been found not guilty, there needs to be some sort of sanction or punishment for the accuser, to try and stop other false accusations from compo-seekers. Agreed. While I am not female, have never been sexually abused (without permission) and can understand that it may deter others from coming forward, but I find it irritating that the guy gets slaughtered in the media and yet the accuser is anonymous. It should be the case that you are anonymous as long as the trial is on. If you lied, you should be punished and you lose anonymity. Or perhaps both should be anonymous. Again, I am aware of the sensitivities of trying to make sure women feel comfortable coming forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alf Bentley Posted 6 February 2014 Share Posted 6 February 2014 Agreed. While I am not female, have never been sexually abused (without permission) and can understand that it may deter others from coming forward, but I find it irritating that the guy gets slaughtered in the media and yet the accuser is anonymous. It should be the case that you are anonymous as long as the trial is on. If you lied, you should be punished and you lose anonymity. Or perhaps both should be anonymous. Again, I am aware of the sensitivities of trying to make sure women feel comfortable coming forward. If there were evidence that any of the women lied, then they should be charged with perjury / perverting the course of justice and punished. Lack of evidence is the problem again, though. Presumably the Crown Prosecution Service judged that the accusers were credible or there was sufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction. Maybe that was a misjudgment, but maybe not - they're never going to achieve a 100% conviction rate. I've a lot of sympathy for the idea that both parties should be anonymous - and that the accused should remain anonymous if acquitted, but how feasible that would be? If someone famous is charged, there'd always be a strong chance of the information leaking to the media. Plus, some people get the courage to come forward once they hear that someone has been accused by another person. OK, some may be lying, but others may not. I suppose if one accusation is made, the name could be kept anonymous but the police could investigate other potential victims....but in cases dating back years, they'd be looking for a needle in a haystack. Very difficult to get the balance right and be fair to all parties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Weasel Fox Posted 8 February 2014 Share Posted 8 February 2014 From the evidence I've read you have to wonder how this got to court. It's like the Savile thing was such a cock up now everyone else has to do the time for him. The whole thing seems to have been a bandwagon effect since jimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rincewind Posted 8 February 2014 Share Posted 8 February 2014 It is a difficult thing to prove as it is often the man's word against the woman's and he would not do it in public in front of witnesses. Dave (MattP) was that a deliberate pun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isaidno Posted 8 February 2014 Share Posted 8 February 2014 It made me laugh that DLT called the chuckle brothers as his character witnesses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted 8 February 2014 Share Posted 8 February 2014 All of these alleged crimes happened decades ago, so there can be no physical evidence other than the words of several women against one man. Whilst Rolf Harris has been done for something far more serious, these DLT / Ken Barlow allegations seem to be more about a general celebrity culture of the time. These men were celebrities and had women showing interest in them, and I'd suggest at times they gauged the situations incorrectly and maybe assumed something that might not have been the intention of all women that they came into contact with. I still fail to see why numerous independent women would all allege similar incidents against the same man unless there was at least some small amount of truth in it. And of course that is a world away from the 'beyond doubt' benchmark set for a jury to find someone criminally guilty in a court of law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trav Le Bleu Posted 11 February 2014 Share Posted 11 February 2014 I was browsing Wikipedia today when I noticed under recent deaths, Stuart Hall. I thought, "well, he didn't last long in prison!" Turns out it was this guy... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surrifox Posted 13 February 2014 Share Posted 13 February 2014 DLT cleared. As with Kevin Webster (or whatever his name is) and William Roache the prosecution were unable to persuade the jury there was a case to answer. The thought occurs that if Savile had been charged with offences in his lifetime whether he would have been able to plead the "we were all at it in the 60s and 70s" defence successfully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vacamion Posted 13 February 2014 Share Posted 13 February 2014 the "we were all at it in the 60s and 70s" defence Not entirely sure that's the defence DLT's legal team put forward ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MattP Posted 13 February 2014 Share Posted 13 February 2014 Secur-rititty!! I prsume now DLT has been cleared of this charge despite the fact it seemed accepted this happened means this is a fair game move in nightclubs, pubs, the workplace etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surrifox Posted 13 February 2014 Share Posted 13 February 2014 Not entirely sure that's the defence DLT's legal team put forward ! slight simplification perhaps the historical context cropped up though as a factor which was my point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveherbe Posted 13 February 2014 Share Posted 13 February 2014 I see DLT has had to sell his house to pay his legal fees. Wish the bastard lying women who accused him - cos thats what they have been proven IN COURT to be - could be forced to pay him back. Woman cries sexual harrassment, good guy gets ruined. Wrong on so many levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pSinatra Posted 13 February 2014 Share Posted 13 February 2014 I see DLT has had to sell his house to pay his legal fees. Wish the bastard lying women who accused him - cos thats what they have been proven IN COURT to be - could be forced to pay him back. Woman cries sexual harrassment, good guy gets ruined. Wrong on so many levels. The women haven't been found guilty of lying.........the prosecution were unable to prove DLT is a perv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vacamion Posted 13 February 2014 Share Posted 13 February 2014 I see DLT has had to sell his house to pay his legal fees. Wish the bastard lying women who accused him - cos thats what they have been proven IN COURT to be - could be forced to pay him back. Woman cries sexual harrassment, good guy gets ruined. Wrong on so many levels. No. So wrong. "Not guilty" means that the prosecution failed to overcome the burden of proof necessary to convict the accused. The witnesses were not on trial.. That's a common fallacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rincewind Posted 2 March 2014 Share Posted 2 March 2014 Can't find the most recent thread where this was discussed. There is an article in the Guardian that some may find interesting. It's quite long and I've tried to speed read it. Even the word is wrong. The literal meaning of "paedophile" should be someone who loves children, but few would say it is love that drives such a person. A paedophile does not love children; he abuses them. Still, paedophile is the word we are stuck with, this week especially. Exhumed from the 1970s has been the Paedophile Information Exchange and its unexpected link to the National Council for Civil Liberties, a disinterment that has discomforted senior figures in the Labour party and brought a reminder that when it comes to the past, especially of politicians, it is, as Faulkner said, never dead. It is not even past. Instead it can return decades later, with venom. more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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