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| Neil Fox exploited fame to abuse fans, court told | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| DJ Neil Fox exploited his fame to sexually abuse fans as young as 15 as well as colleagues, a court has heard. | DJ Neil Fox exploited his fame to sexually abuse fans as young as 15 as well as colleagues, a court has heard. |
| The 54-year-old is accused of sexually abusing three girls aged under 16 between 1988 and 1996. | The 54-year-old is accused of sexually abusing three girls aged under 16 between 1988 and 1996. |
| He is also facing another four charges of indecent assault relating to females aged over 16. He denies all charges. | He is also facing another four charges of indecent assault relating to females aged over 16. He denies all charges. |
| Prosecutor John Price QC told Westminster Magistrates' Court Mr Fox had "exploited the privilege conferred upon him by his fame". | Prosecutor John Price QC told Westminster Magistrates' Court Mr Fox had "exploited the privilege conferred upon him by his fame". |
| Mr Fox, who uses the nicknames Dr Fox and Foxy became well known for presenting the chart show on Capital Radio, and was a judge on the ITV show Pop Idol between 2001 and 2003 alongside Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman and Nicki Chapman. | Mr Fox, who uses the nicknames Dr Fox and Foxy became well known for presenting the chart show on Capital Radio, and was a judge on the ITV show Pop Idol between 2001 and 2003 alongside Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman and Nicki Chapman. |
| Trial begins | |
| One of the complainants says she was 14 when Mr Fox took her to an underground car park at Capital Radio in Euston in July 1988 and kissed her. In a separate incident later that month, she claims he took her - then age 15 - on a tour of the building's record library where he indecently assaulted her. | |
| Mr Price said the alleged teenage victim was a fan of Mr Fox, and at the time was happy to be alone with him and visited his flat where "intimacy would occur between them". | |
| Other women allege that at public events the radio presenter kissed them forcefully. | |
| The prosecution also alleges Mr Fox would impose himself on female co-workers under the guise of "office banter" which the prosecution defined as "sexual intimidation". | The prosecution also alleges Mr Fox would impose himself on female co-workers under the guise of "office banter" which the prosecution defined as "sexual intimidation". |
| He was first arrested in September last year, then again in December and March. | He was first arrested in September last year, then again in December and March. |
| 'So uncomfortable' | |
| The court heard evidence from a woman who alleges she was 15 when Mr Fox kissed her and slid his hand up her skirt after she asked for his autograph at a motor show in Bromley, south east London, in July 1991. | |
| When asked why she did not confront him, the woman replied: "Because it happened so quickly and because I was a young girl and although I knew it was wrong, I didn't necessarily have the confidence to challenge him at the time and he was an older man - he was a famous man." | |
| The complainant said she told her mother about the attack as soon as she got home that day, and some years later she also told her partner. | |
| "It was wrong. It made me so, so uncomfortable. I felt like I had done something naughty." | |
| She said she finally told the police about the incident after hearing of Mr Fox's arrest last year. | |
| He is on trial accused of 10 sexual offences against six victims. The alleged offences took place between 1988 and last year. |