No action over Leslie rape claim

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No further action is being taken over a rape allegation made against former Blue Peter presenter John Leslie, police have confirmed.

The allegation concerned an incident which was claimed to have taken place at a party in his home in 1995.

The Metropolitan Police said no further action would be taken following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Leslie's law firm released a statement on his behalf, saying he was "delighted" at the decision.

'Ridiculous'

The statement said: "We have today been informed by the Metropolitan Police that the complaint against John Leslie has been dropped.

"Yet again, after a complete and thorough investigation, it has been confirmed that there is no truth or substance to the damaging allegations that were made against our client last month.

"He is of course delighted. The complaint was ridiculous, but yet again and for a second time his name has been dragged through the mud before the law has had a chance to confirm his innocence.

"The law confers a blanket of anonymity on complainants but the accused enjoys no such protection.

"Instead his reputation, his character, his career and his family are regarded as fair game by the media.

"There is little justice and no fairness in what our client and his family have been put through."

Fresh allegation

The former host of ITV's This Morning was accused in 2003 of two counts of indecent assault on a 23-year-old actress, said to have taken place in May 1997, but the charges were dropped.

Mr Leslie was told he could leave the court "without a stain on his character".

He attended Teddington police station last month after the fresh allegation surfaced.

The following day he released a statement in which he denied the rape. He said: "I certainly did not attack this person as I have never attacked anyone."