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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Coronation Street actor's role 'behind child sex claim' | Coronation Street actor's role 'behind child sex claim' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A former Coronation Street actor has told a court that the character he played in the show might have inspired child sex allegations against him. | |
| Andrew Watkinson, 42, from Liverpool, denies six counts of indecently assaulting a teenage boy in the 1990s. | Andrew Watkinson, 42, from Liverpool, denies six counts of indecently assaulting a teenage boy in the 1990s. |
| He described the character of Frank Foster to Liverpool Crown Court as "a rapist" and "horrendous". | |
| The judge said he would be directing the jury to find Mr Watkinson not guilty on two of six counts he faces. | The judge said he would be directing the jury to find Mr Watkinson not guilty on two of six counts he faces. |
| This was because the complainant could not be sure the alleged abuse happened before his 15th birthday. | This was because the complainant could not be sure the alleged abuse happened before his 15th birthday. |
| Mr Watkinson, whose professional name is Andrew Lancel, remains on trial for the further four counts relating to when the complainant was 15. | Mr Watkinson, whose professional name is Andrew Lancel, remains on trial for the further four counts relating to when the complainant was 15. |
| The actor told the jury "in the back of his mind" he thought the allegations - alleged to have taken place when the complainant was attending a theatre group in 1993 and 94 - were to do with the "horrendous" character he played in Coronation Street. | The actor told the jury "in the back of his mind" he thought the allegations - alleged to have taken place when the complainant was attending a theatre group in 1993 and 94 - were to do with the "horrendous" character he played in Coronation Street. |
| 'Is he drunk?' | 'Is he drunk?' |
| He denies any sexual contact ever took place and instead said he told the court he acted as a "sort of mentor" to the boy. | He denies any sexual contact ever took place and instead said he told the court he acted as a "sort of mentor" to the boy. |
| Mr Watkinson told the court he received a text from the complainant, a man he described as a "mate" whom he had known for years and invited to his wedding, when he was playing the "high profile" role of Foster in the soap. | Mr Watkinson told the court he received a text from the complainant, a man he described as a "mate" whom he had known for years and invited to his wedding, when he was playing the "high profile" role of Foster in the soap. |
| He thought the text message alleging what he had done was "massively illegal" may have been a "set-up". | He thought the text message alleging what he had done was "massively illegal" may have been a "set-up". |
| He told the court: "I remember thinking is it a wind-up? Is it him? Is he stoned or is he drunk?" | He told the court: "I remember thinking is it a wind-up? Is it him? Is he stoned or is he drunk?" |
| The actor, who is married with a son, said he was heterosexual and denied "intimate contact" with his accuser. He also denied such contact with a second man who gave evidence in the trial, who accused him of performing a sex act on him when he was 15. | The actor, who is married with a son, said he was heterosexual and denied "intimate contact" with his accuser. He also denied such contact with a second man who gave evidence in the trial, who accused him of performing a sex act on him when he was 15. |
| Andrew Menary QC, defending, asked Mr Watkinson if any of what the two men complained of had ever happened. | Andrew Menary QC, defending, asked Mr Watkinson if any of what the two men complained of had ever happened. |
| 'Embarrassed and confused' | 'Embarrassed and confused' |
| The actor replied: "Absolutely not." | The actor replied: "Absolutely not." |
| Kim Whittlestone, prosecuting, said Mr Watkinson, then 23, met the teenager when he visited a theatre group and allegedly began taking the teenager for coffees. | Kim Whittlestone, prosecuting, said Mr Watkinson, then 23, met the teenager when he visited a theatre group and allegedly began taking the teenager for coffees. |
| The actor, who had just got a part in television show Cardiac Arrest, then took him to his house where the offences allegedly started. | The actor, who had just got a part in television show Cardiac Arrest, then took him to his house where the offences allegedly started. |
| Ms Whittlestone told the court after one early meeting, they went into an upstairs study where "the defendant began to touch him over his underwear". | Ms Whittlestone told the court after one early meeting, they went into an upstairs study where "the defendant began to touch him over his underwear". |
| The victim felt he could not tell the defendant to stop because he was "embarrassed and confused" as Mr Watkinson was an adult and a friend, the court heard. | The victim felt he could not tell the defendant to stop because he was "embarrassed and confused" as Mr Watkinson was an adult and a friend, the court heard. |
| Ms Whittlestone said Mr Watkinson "had every intention" of turning the friendship into a sexual one, with the ensuing assaults including oral sex. | Ms Whittlestone said Mr Watkinson "had every intention" of turning the friendship into a sexual one, with the ensuing assaults including oral sex. |
| Regarding the two charges that Mr Watkinson will be cleared of, Judge Clement Goldstone QC told the jury that the complainant had agreed while he was being cross-examined that he could not definitely say some of the allegations related to when he was still 14 years old. | Regarding the two charges that Mr Watkinson will be cleared of, Judge Clement Goldstone QC told the jury that the complainant had agreed while he was being cross-examined that he could not definitely say some of the allegations related to when he was still 14 years old. |
| Judge Goldstone told the jury: "In due course I will direct you to return not guilty verdicts on counts one and two." | Judge Goldstone told the jury: "In due course I will direct you to return not guilty verdicts on counts one and two." |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |