This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/nov/27/dragons-den-doug-richards-denies-child-sexual-abuse-charges
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Ex-Dragons' Den star Doug Richard denies paying child for sex | Ex-Dragons' Den star Doug Richard denies paying child for sex |
(35 minutes later) | |
A former Dragons’ Den star who acted as an adviser to David Cameron has denied paying a child for sex after meeting her on a website. | |
Doug Richard, 57, is accused of molesting the girl and engaging in other sexual activity after she travelled to London to meet him. | Doug Richard, 57, is accused of molesting the girl and engaging in other sexual activity after she travelled to London to meet him. |
He appeared before the Old Bailey accused of three counts of sexual activity with a child, one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and a charge of paying a child for sexual services. | He appeared before the Old Bailey accused of three counts of sexual activity with a child, one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and a charge of paying a child for sexual services. |
All the charges relate to one girl, who was 13 at the time of the alleged offences, on 2 January. | |
The US-born businessman, who is on unconditional bail, entered not guilty pleas during a short hearing before the common serjeant of London, Judge Richard Marks QC. | |
Dressed in a dark suit, the defendant spoke clearly in a thick American accent. Richard, of Islington in north London, is due back at the court for a five-day trial on 25 January. A further hearing before the trial judge, Mark Lucraft QC, was scheduled for 8 January. | |
The millionaire, who appeared on the BBC programme in the first two series, reportedly travelled with the prime minister on an official trip to Africa and advised on policy. | |
His association with David Cameron dates to at least 2008, when the then opposition leader invited the technology entrepreneur to write a report about small business in Britain. | |
Richard founded a business loans initiative called school for startups, with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. |
Previous version
1
Next version