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Eddy Shah: child rape claims are blackmail Eddy Shah: child rape claims are blackmail
(3 months later)
Former newspaper boss Eddy Shah has told a court that allegations that he had sex with a schoolgirl are blackmail.Former newspaper boss Eddy Shah has told a court that allegations that he had sex with a schoolgirl are blackmail.
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey for a second day, Shah, 69, who denies six counts of raping a girl under 16, spoke of being arrested at his home on the morning of 20 September 2011.Giving evidence at the Old Bailey for a second day, Shah, 69, who denies six counts of raping a girl under 16, spoke of being arrested at his home on the morning of 20 September 2011.
Asked by Jonathan Barnard, defending, if he realised police had come to arrest him about the allegations dating back to the 1990s, Shah said he did not.Asked by Jonathan Barnard, defending, if he realised police had come to arrest him about the allegations dating back to the 1990s, Shah said he did not.
The trial previously heard that co-defendant Susan Davies, 53, had warned Shah that the girl was making allegations about them. Shah, a wealthy businessman, told the court: "They weren't true. I always thought it was a case of blackmail or something."The trial previously heard that co-defendant Susan Davies, 53, had warned Shah that the girl was making allegations about them. Shah, a wealthy businessman, told the court: "They weren't true. I always thought it was a case of blackmail or something."
The father-of-three told jurors that when officers arrived at his home his biggest concern was how his wife would react as he had to quickly tell her that he had paid a prostitute for sex as officers waited to take him away. Asked by Barnard what he was worried about, Shah said: "My wife would find out, primarily. It wasn't true anyway."The father-of-three told jurors that when officers arrived at his home his biggest concern was how his wife would react as he had to quickly tell her that he had paid a prostitute for sex as officers waited to take him away. Asked by Barnard what he was worried about, Shah said: "My wife would find out, primarily. It wasn't true anyway."
Questioned about what was true, Shah told jurors: "That I had a relationship with Susan Davies."Questioned about what was true, Shah told jurors: "That I had a relationship with Susan Davies."
When asked what he feared would happen, he said: "We would break up. That I would lose her."When asked what he feared would happen, he said: "We would break up. That I would lose her."
Shah's wife, actor Jennifer White Shah, watched proceedings from the back of the courtroom.Shah's wife, actor Jennifer White Shah, watched proceedings from the back of the courtroom.
On Tuesday the trial heard the couple had been together since the 1960s but Shah had been forced to come clean to his family about a number of affairs after their grown-up daughter, Tamsin, read emails on his computer in 2005. But Shah said the first time they knew about him having sex with Davies was when he was arrested.On Tuesday the trial heard the couple had been together since the 1960s but Shah had been forced to come clean to his family about a number of affairs after their grown-up daughter, Tamsin, read emails on his computer in 2005. But Shah said the first time they knew about him having sex with Davies was when he was arrested.
Jurors heard evidence from Shah about how he repeatedly slept with Davies in the 1980s after he enlisted the services of an escort agency while he was away from his family setting up the now-defunct newspaper Today, which launched in 1986.Jurors heard evidence from Shah about how he repeatedly slept with Davies in the 1980s after he enlisted the services of an escort agency while he was away from his family setting up the now-defunct newspaper Today, which launched in 1986.
They stopped seeing each other but began meeting for sex again in the 1990s, when Shah and Davies are alleged to have forced the girl to have sex and have threesomes with them.They stopped seeing each other but began meeting for sex again in the 1990s, when Shah and Davies are alleged to have forced the girl to have sex and have threesomes with them.
Asked by Barnard, if he had sex with the girl, Shah said: "Absolutely not."Asked by Barnard, if he had sex with the girl, Shah said: "Absolutely not."
Shah, of Chippenham, Wiltshire, is charged under his birth name of Selim Shah.Shah, of Chippenham, Wiltshire, is charged under his birth name of Selim Shah.
A third defendant, Anthony Pallant, 53, is also accused of attacking the girl.A third defendant, Anthony Pallant, 53, is also accused of attacking the girl.
Davies, of Swanley, Kent, denies 14 counts of aiding and abetting rape, indecent assault and child cruelty, while Pallant, of West Malling, Kent, denies six counts of rape and indecent assault. The offences are alleged to have happened when the girl was between the ages of 12 and 15.Davies, of Swanley, Kent, denies 14 counts of aiding and abetting rape, indecent assault and child cruelty, while Pallant, of West Malling, Kent, denies six counts of rape and indecent assault. The offences are alleged to have happened when the girl was between the ages of 12 and 15.
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