John Leslie was 'notorious' and a 'nobody' who fell victim to 'clever lie' by woman who claimed he groped her breasts at Christmas party in 2008, court hears

  • Leslie accused of grabbing woman's breasts with both hands at party in London
  • Barrister Gudrun Young claimed alleged victim was influenced by his reputation
  • Former TV presenter, from Edinburgh, denies one charge of sexual assault 

By Rory Tingle For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

John Leslie was 'notorious' and a 'nobody' who fell victim to a 'clever lie' by a woman who claimed he groped her breasts at a Christmas party, a court heard today. 

The former Blue Peter and This Morning presenter, 55, is accused of grabbing a woman's breasts with both hands at the event in Greek Street, Soho on December 5, 2008.

In her closing speech Leslie's barrister Gudrun Young told jurors at Southwark Crown Court his accuser was able to orchestrate a 'clever lie' because her client was 'a bit of an embarrassment'.

John Leslie, 55, (pictured outside court today) is accused of grabbing a woman's breasts with both hands at the event in Greek Street, Soho on December 5, 2008

John Leslie, 55, (pictured outside court today) is accused of grabbing a woman's breasts with both hands at the event in Greek Street, Soho on December 5, 2008

'Since his fall from grace in 2002 he became notorious, infamous not for his TV work but for allegations of a sexual, scurrilous, scandalous nature,' she said.  

'Trial by media is the worst and most unfair way of being judged. They can ruin you without a single shred of evidence.

'People with all sort of motives can say anything about you. It's difficult to defend yourself against that isn't it?'   

Summing up the defence, Ms Young accused the alleged victim of being unreliable and claimed she was influenced by his 'notorious' reputation. 

'It's her undoubtedly imperfect memory of an event 12 years ago that lasted three seconds or thereabouts,' she said.

'The briefest sliver of time. An event that no other single person witnessed. Nor is there forensics or DNA. Nor do we know exactly what she did or didn't say to others.

'She didn't really come over as somebody that had an obvious reason or motive to make up a serious allegation, but there were some odd things about what she said.'

The barrister accused her client's accuser of giving testimony that did not match up to 'other evidence in the case'.

In her closing speech Leslie's barrister Gudrun Young told jurors at Southwark Crown Court his accuser was able to orchestrate a 'clever lie' because her client was 'a bit of an embarrassment'. Leslie is seen today with his father, Lesley Stott

In her closing speech Leslie's barrister Gudrun Young told jurors at Southwark Crown Court his accuser was able to orchestrate a 'clever lie' because her client was 'a bit of an embarrassment'. Leslie is seen today with his father, Lesley Stott

She continued: 'It was a big industry party, a free bar, booze had been flowing all night. She was not entirely honest and open with you about that.

'She wouldn't accept she was there having a good time, partying away, looking slightly worse for wear by the end of the night.

'You may want to ask yourselves how much of her recollection was true the next day let alone 12 years later.

'Secondly, the business of the party. She was careful to say the party hadn't got going. The bar area is always busiest isn't it. She was changing, adapting, and massaging her evidence.

'This brazen sexual assault, no one seems to have seen it.'

Ms Young went on to claim the alleged victim had formed her perspective of events based on Leslie's reputation. 

This included, being mistakenly named by the TV presenter Matthew Wright as Ulrika Jonsson's rapist that she wrote about anonymously in her 2002 autobiography. 

Asking 'what was on [the victim's] mind', the barrister suggested: 'John Leslie, he's famous for Ulrika Jonsson.

'That was the only thing he was famous for. This is a witness who was picking and choosing what she says to you.

'It was a clever lie. Did she want a scandal? Had she misinterpreted a gesture that was friendly and open?

'Did this story become embellished and exaggerated in her mind in the days and weeks that followed?

'Does she really remember what happened? Did she want her own MeToo story? Not every MeToo story told is authentic.'

John Leslie and Ulrika Jonsson pictured presenting Big Breakfast back in 1993

John Leslie and Ulrika Jonsson pictured presenting Big Breakfast back in 1993

Ms Young said her client was 'not a monster' who would assume me could get away with a sexual assault.

'He's the one man who couldn't get away with anything,' she told the court. 'The one person it would be taken seriously about.

'He is the last man on earth to think he would do something like that and no-one would notice.

'His career was finished. He hadn't worked in five years, he was disgraced. He was - I hope you'll forgive me for saying this - a bit of an embarrassment.

'He wasn't an important person to schmooze. He was nobody.'

Leslie, from Edinburgh, denies one charge of sexual assault.

The trial continues. 

London

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