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| Dave Lee Travis: 'You would have to be a moron to sexually attack someone' | Dave Lee Travis: 'You would have to be a moron to sexually attack someone' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The veteran DJ Dave Lee Travis flatly denied claims he would sexually attack anyone, saying that he is not a "moron". | |
| Speaking for the first time from the witness box in his trial for indecent and sexual assault at London's Southwark crown court, Travis said: "It doesn't bear thinking about to be honest." | Speaking for the first time from the witness box in his trial for indecent and sexual assault at London's Southwark crown court, Travis said: "It doesn't bear thinking about to be honest." |
| He told the jury: "The thought of sexually attacking someone as part of that team is just not something you would want to do. You would have to be a complete moron to do that – something that I am hoping that no one is going to suggest is that I am a moron." | He told the jury: "The thought of sexually attacking someone as part of that team is just not something you would want to do. You would have to be a complete moron to do that – something that I am hoping that no one is going to suggest is that I am a moron." |
| He said that he enjoyed playing a baddie saying: "I relish it, there is nothing better than going on stage and saying 'I hate kids'." | He said that he enjoyed playing a baddie saying: "I relish it, there is nothing better than going on stage and saying 'I hate kids'." |
| The former Radio 1 star told the jury that he was "tactile" but denied that he is an opportunist who takes his chance to touch young women. | The former Radio 1 star told the jury that he was "tactile" but denied that he is an opportunist who takes his chance to touch young women. |
| Travis, who has been a household name since the 1970s, said there was a culture of friendliness in the world of showbusiness where you might touch someone on the shoulders. Asked by his barrister, Stephen Vullo, if he ever crossed the line, Travis said: "No, I am not going to go up to a strange person and pinch their bottom – it's just not going to happen – or any other part of them." | Travis, who has been a household name since the 1970s, said there was a culture of friendliness in the world of showbusiness where you might touch someone on the shoulders. Asked by his barrister, Stephen Vullo, if he ever crossed the line, Travis said: "No, I am not going to go up to a strange person and pinch their bottom – it's just not going to happen – or any other part of them." |
| Vullo asked if he was tactile and if this was a problem. Travis said: "Yes, very much so. I am tactile with everybody – men, women, certainly women, anyone because it's just a natural thing for me to greet someone. I give a squeeze and have been known to give a guy a hug and a kiss on the cheek if I know he is a great guy." | Vullo asked if he was tactile and if this was a problem. Travis said: "Yes, very much so. I am tactile with everybody – men, women, certainly women, anyone because it's just a natural thing for me to greet someone. I give a squeeze and have been known to give a guy a hug and a kiss on the cheek if I know he is a great guy." |
| Travis, a keen photographer, also denied that he was "sleazy" in the way he approached his work with the camera. One of his previous projects included taking images of people and asking what they liked or disliked about themselves. He said: "No, sleazy is a terrible word that is easily banded about. Sleazy has nothing to with what I did ever." | Travis, a keen photographer, also denied that he was "sleazy" in the way he approached his work with the camera. One of his previous projects included taking images of people and asking what they liked or disliked about themselves. He said: "No, sleazy is a terrible word that is easily banded about. Sleazy has nothing to with what I did ever." |
| He said he strived to be professional and hoped that any interviewer who would came to his home would be welcomed with a cup of tea and general friendliness so that "it was a nice experience but it had to be right on both sides". He added: "We are professionals. I do not think about that because I have not thought about should or should I not touch a journalist." | He said he strived to be professional and hoped that any interviewer who would came to his home would be welcomed with a cup of tea and general friendliness so that "it was a nice experience but it had to be right on both sides". He added: "We are professionals. I do not think about that because I have not thought about should or should I not touch a journalist." |
| Vullo asked how he would react if he accidentally touched someone inappropriately, perhaps on the breasts. Travis said he would apologise adding: "I would not sneakily want to touch someone and walk away – it is just not done." | Vullo asked how he would react if he accidentally touched someone inappropriately, perhaps on the breasts. Travis said he would apologise adding: "I would not sneakily want to touch someone and walk away – it is just not done." |
| Travis, 69, who is charged under his real name David Griffin, denies two counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault. He is facing a retrial on two counts – one of indecent assault of a woman between 1 November 1990 and 31 January 1991, and another of sexual assault on a different woman between 1 June 2008 and 30 November 2008 – on which a jury was unable to reach verdicts at a trial earlier this year. | Travis, 69, who is charged under his real name David Griffin, denies two counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault. He is facing a retrial on two counts – one of indecent assault of a woman between 1 November 1990 and 31 January 1991, and another of sexual assault on a different woman between 1 June 2008 and 30 November 2008 – on which a jury was unable to reach verdicts at a trial earlier this year. |
| Travis, of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, has also pleaded not guilty to an additional count of indecent assault alleged to have taken place on 17 January 1995. | Travis, of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, has also pleaded not guilty to an additional count of indecent assault alleged to have taken place on 17 January 1995. |