John Leslie today claimed that he was a ‘wounded animal’ hoping for ‘redemption’ when he went to a Christmas party where he is accused of ‘groping’ a woman following Matthew Wright’s mistaken allegations about Ulrika Jonsson’s rape claims in her autobiography.
Ex-Blue Peter presenter Leslie, who appeared at Southwark Crown Court under his birth name of John Stott, denies sexually assaulting the woman at the celebrity event in London’s Soho on December 5, 2008.
The 55-year-old presented several popular TV shows including This Morning and Wheel of Fortune.
He claimed the TV industry is not ‘backward’ and any form of sexual assault would not have been allowed at any party.
Leslie claimed earlier in the trial that he had been made ‘reclusive’ by reports about him following journalist Wright’s allegations about Ulrika’s rape claims in her 2002 autobiography Honest, and settling with News International after the phone hacking scandal.
In 2002, Wright named Leslie live on air as the television presenter being linked to the alleged rape. Wright subsequently said he could not remember saying Leslie’s name during the show.
In a Sky One show, Wright offered John Leslie an apology. Leslie confirmed he would not sue Wright, saying: ‘I think he just made a really big mistake and unfortunately I was the one paying the price.’
Jonsson made no public comment on Leslie’s naming and did not cooperate with police over the matter. Police investigated Leslie but never charged him with the alleged offence.
On his second day in the witness box, Leslie said he did not remember attending the party but that he had gone to some events in the years that followed the dropping of indecent assault charges against him in 2003.
Ex-Blue Peter presenter John Leslie today claimed that he was a ‘wounded animal’ hoping for ‘redemption’ when he went to a Christmas party where he is accused of ‘groping’ a woman following Matthew Wright’s allegations about Ulrika Jonsson’s rape in her autobiography
John Leslie and Ulrika Jonsson pictured together presenting Big Breakfast back in 1993
Speaking about the party today, he said: ‘I just felt it was a crowd of people who would have understood what I went through and whether they believed what happened or not they would’ve understood the process, understood where I was and wouldn’t judge me.
‘I felt that I was comfortable to go. On the other hand I was still a wounded animal, I was still scarred by what happened.
‘Knowing who was there, it was presenters and colleagues and producers. I was still hoping for redemption.’
He added: ‘You’d never give up hope. It was still in the back of my mind. It was still about being on best behaviour.’
When Leslie was interviewed about the case alone by police in 2008, he said ‘no comment’ other than also saying at the end that he had ‘never ever’ attacked a woman.
He told the court today: ‘I just knew I hadn’t done anything wrong, I didn’t need a lawyer. I was being interviewed. I wanted to hear what the allegation was about. Lawyers are expensive.’
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward said: ‘You answered no comment that you didn’t tell the police whether you’d been there. You didn’t tell them what you told us today about the paranoia and your reasons for it to be on your best behaviour.
‘You simply resolved to wait to find out whether anything would come of it rather than asking the police’s questions honesty.’
Leslie said: ‘I’ve done nothing wrong, I wanted to hear what it was. When I heard the allegation, I said I had never ever assaulted or attacked anybody.
‘I wasn’t aware of how serious the allegation was or how it was going to proceed. All I remember is asking, ‘What’s going to happen?’. The police were not going to recommend proceeding with it. I thought that was that.’
The 55-year-old was also asked whether he had ever grabbed anyone’s breasts in ‘jest’ or to ‘test anyone’s boundaries’.
Leslie, who appeared at Southwark Crown Court under his birth name of John Stott, denies sexually assaulting the woman at the even in London’s Soho on December 5, 2008. The 55-year-old presented several popular TV shows including This Morning and Wheel of Fortune
He said: ‘There’s a line between being a gregarious character and criminal activity. I know the line and I’ve never crossed it. I’ve never touched somebody’s breasts.’
The prosecutor said it had been suggested by Leslie’s defence team that the complainant had been after ‘her own MeToo moment’, but Ms Ledward said that would require either the complainant to be lying and to have lied to the people she told at the time, or for all of them to have ‘got together and invented this story’.
The prosecutor said: ‘There are three possibilities. The first is that (the alleged victim) has made a completely false allegation.
‘The motive suggested to you on your behalf was that she was after her own MeToo story. I think that we’re clear, in general public knowledge, the MeToo movement started in 2017 and beyond.
‘It follows from that, one of two things. Either she lied around the time it happened back in 2008 to her (friends), to all of us now. Or perhaps all of these people, including (people) who have stood by you, have got together and invented this story.
‘I’m going to suggest it can only be the third possibly, which is that [the alleged victim] told the truth. Back in 2008, perhaps over-excited or with lower inhibitions because you didn’t get out much, you did exactly what she had described.
‘When she introduced herself to you, you grabbed her breasts. You judged that no one would either notice or confront you about it at the time.
‘You judged quite rightly instead of spoiling the party and being marched out tout suite, you judged that it would be dealt with discreetly and seemingly with a degree of tolerance.’
Leslie said: ‘It’s not a backward industry. We treat women fairly. People don’t go around assaulting women. It’s just not done.
‘You wouldn’t let it happen. It’s not allowed. It’s not something people would condone or allow.
‘People wouldn’t watch it and let it happen. If I had seen it I wouldn’t have let it happen. I would never do such a thing.’
The Scot was one of the most popular personalities on daytime television. He joined Blue Peter in 1989 and remained with the children’s show until 1994.
In 1998 he took over from Bradley Walsh as the main presenter of game show Wheel Of Fortune, before joining This Morning a year later.
After leaving television he began working for Radio Forth in his native Scotland and has also been working as a property developer in Edinburgh.
Leslie, who wore a pink shirt and dark navy suit, denies sexual assault. He was supported in court by his father, Les Stott. The trial continues.