John Leslie denies party grope
Former TV presenter John Leslie denied groping a woman at a party more than a decade ago.
The Scot, 54, is accused of sexually touching the alleged victim, then 30, over her clothing in Greek Street, Soho, central London, on 5 December 2008.
The former Blue Peter and This Morning presenter arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court wearing sun glasses, a dark grey suit, white shirt and striped black and white tie.
Jocelyn Ledward, prosecuting, said: ‘It is a simple allegation of a brief sexual touching over clothing.’
Leslie, from Edinburgh, formally denied the allegation and elected a trial at crown court.
Defence lawyer Grant Ambridge, said: ‘It is disputed that the offence took place she either mistaken, lying or other issues which we will develop in the crown court as to why or why not she may have said these things at the time.
Mr Leslie, whose real name is John Stott, 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 denies one count of sexual assault and was bailed by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot
ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on 22 August at Southwark Crown Court.
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